bloat, again

[farm princess]

I just posted on the health site but thought I would try here too. I had a calf die of bloat several weeks ago in the morning and then had another one start bloating that same evening and had the vet come out. Vet said that it shouldn't be a problem again but it has happened 2 more times. Went out this morning and he was bloating again so I gated him and gave him some bloat release and have been checking on him all day. He still is bloated and breathing a bit heavier (could be the heat). My question is should I stick him to releave the bloat( it is the frothy) or should I give him more bloat release or what? Any help is greatful ;-)

 

[msscamp]

What are you feeding, how much, and for how long?

 

[Alice]

I just posted on the health site but thought I would try here too. I had a calf die of bloat several weeks ago in the morning and then had another one start bloating that same evening and had the vet come out. Vet said that it shouldn't be a problem again but it has happened 2 more times. Went out this morning and he was bloating again so I gated him and gave him some bloat release and have been checking on him all day. He still is bloated and breathing a bit heavier (could be the heat). My question is should I stick him to releave the bloat( it is the frothy) or should I give him more bloat release or what? Any help is greatful ;-)

I posted this on the nutrition board, so I'll post it to you here, also.

Does your calf have access to hay? If not, make sure he has lots of hay.

I don't think I'd stick him just yet. I'd wait until he was down before I did that. Have you tried running a long, hose/tube down his throat? I'd at least do that before I stuck him. And yeah, I'd go ahead and give him another bloat release treatment.

Chances are, all he really needs is to eat a lot of hay to keep from bloating anymore.

Alice

 

[Rookie]

I only stick as a last resort, be lookin for a dietary solution. Sounds like what ya be feedin be too easily digested.Makin tiny, hard ta break gas bubbles instead a bigger, thinner walled ones. Whatever ya be feedin, get em off it and on some dry coarse GRASS hay, no legume hay like alfalfa nor clover.

 

[farm princess]

He has been on grain since he was weaned and was moved up slowly to full feed and I think it is a alfalfa mix of hay. The grain is a bit more coarse than usual, feed store does this.

 

[Rookie]

I would be gettin him off anything alfalfa related.Some animals just cant take it and it be dangerous feedin to younguns cause they reumens be so small.

 

[farm princess]

He isn't a little calve-- he was born 4-18-05 and he hasn't had any changes in feed or hay except for the grain seems to be a bit finer

 

[Alice]

Doesn't matter how hold he is...Give him access to coastal hay...nothing alfalfa.

JMO,

Alice

 

[Pooog1]

Did you vaccinate with 7way?? I know that I have posted this before but we had allot of problems with Enterotoxemia (overeating) quite a few years ago. They basically bloat up and the intestines develop holes from the gas, it's very painful. We even had a vet perform surgery as they didn't know what it was. The bloat tablets may help the symptoms but if the bloat is caused by overeating disease, it won't save your calf. If it is overeating he needs antitoxin right away and a few different treatments of it. It's a cheap solution and could easily be your problem. Also if your feed is a mixed variety, maybe it wasn't mixed properly and he got to much of one thing?

 

[mnmtranching]

I think it must be the feed or grain. the calf has a thing about over eating it. Change the ration. As far as the mixed Alfalfa and grass hay, I don't know but never heard of bloat from that.

If you have to stick him, give him antibiotic and what I do. Take a small slot screw driver, like about a 3/8 inch 4 " blade. Sharpen it good, stick him and just move the screwdiver sideways a bit and you'll get a blast. You will probably need to put a tube in, make sure the outside end has something on it to keep the tube from going in.

I wonder what the vet folks on here think? :shock:
I have done maybe 6 cows this way and not lost any.

mnmt

 

[farm princess]

He is on full grain since we raise them for beef and grain fed tastes better to me than grass fed We have changed the hay and he still bloated so we are thinking that it is the grain--it was ground to fine for some unknown reason-next time we are going to go coarse. He has had the 7-way and other vacs.

TTCLM: We run approx. 20 or so at a time of feed-lot type and sell to family and friends or fat cow if we need to. We also farm so the corn is a tiny bit cheaper than buying it all the time. We are in the process between planting and doing sows of building pasture for room for more. It is tough living as I was raised "city" to get used to but I am beginning to really enjoy the cow and sow thing.

 

[Vinny5036]

Get that animal off of the grain and yes, most of the replies who said to throw some grass hay in front of him is absolutely right. Grain does nothing more for them than give them energy to be active (so they will exercise and burn off fat that overconditions them) and produce muscle or beef. It sounds to me as though you have either gotten some bad grain, or is there somewhere that the cattle are getting grain or free-choicing grain that you haven't noticed? You may have better luck feeding a bean hull pellet if it's an option along with a good quality ground grain, and don't push 'em or you may end up with dead animals afterall.

 

[rk]

Sounds like you can help by reducing the amount of grain in the diet and also making the grain pretty coarse rather than fine. Something has likely changed to cause him to start bloating......fineness of grind of the grain, or possibly his consumption has increased and he's reached the point where his grain intake will cause bloat.
Bloat will occur when they consume too many rapidly fermented starches at one time. Reduce the amount of grain and the fineness of grind will reduce/slow fermentation rate.

 

[farm princess]

Changed the grain from cracked to whole and he seems to be doing alot better --no bloat I think from now on we will either crack it ourselves or feed whole corn till he leaves
Thanks for all the posts, these have really helped!! ;-)