Bloat

[LJCB]

Been feeding some bulls for over 2 months now. Free choice hay with a cracked corn protein pellet ration (12-14% protein.
I lost one bull to bloat about 2 weeks ago same night i let another one down and saved his life. Last night I had 4-6 looked bloated but not enough to stick a hose down.

I originally thought the first bale of hay they had was to rich but I put this real stemmy bale in and they still bloat. Wondering if could something other than legumes making them bloat.

been feeding them the same way for 5 years and haven't lost one yet until 2 weeks ago

 

[kenny thomas]

No clue what is wrong but some baking soda mixed in the feed will help until you get it figured out.

 

[simme]

If I recall correctly, there is a bloat condition caused by chronic pneumonia. The pneumonia affects the nerve that controls the release of gas from the rumen. If the gas is not released, bloat conditions appear. If you tube them to release the bloat, they soon bloat again due to not being able to release the rumen gas. Permanent solution is to solve the pneumonia problem. Short term solution is to install a temporary vent through the side of the animal into the rumen until the pneumonia is cleared up. Hole in the rumen sutured to the hole cut in the side of the animal. Not suggesting that this is the case for your bulls. Just bringing it up for awareness. When this happens, tubing and therabloat treatment and diet changes will not solve the bloat. Again, I think I remember correctly. Perhaps one of our vet members can verify.
@Lucky_P

 

[GoWyo]

If I recall correctly, there is a bloat condition caused by chronic pneumonia. The pneumonia affects the nerve that controls the release of gas from the rumen. If the gas is not released, bloat conditions appear. If you tube them to release the bloat, they soon bloat again due to not being able to release the rumen gas. Permanent solution is to solve the pneumonia problem. Short term solution is to install a temporary vent through the side of the animal into the rumen until the pneumonia is cleared up. Hole in the rumen sutured to the hole cut in the side of the animal. Not suggesting that this is the case for your bulls. Just bringing it up for awareness. When this happens, tubing and therabloat treatment and diet changes will not solve the bloat. Again, I think I remember correctly. Perhaps one of our vet members can verify.
@Lucky_P

I have had this type of bloat a couple times over the years. The last one went down and was kicking his last when I poked a hole in the "triangle area" between his last rib and hip bones to relieve the gas pressure. Next day had the vet install a cannula in the hole. Removed the cannula a couple weeks later. The better practice than a pocket knife is to have a trocar and cannula in the vet kit to just leave the cannula inserted until the infection clears in the rumen area.

Chronic Indigestion Syndrome in Ruminants - Digestive System - Merck Veterinary Manual

Learn about the veterinary topic of Chronic Indigestion Syndrome in Ruminants. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the Merck Vet Manual.

www.merckvetmanual.com

 

[Silver]

I have used these screw in canula / trocars in the past:

I just left them in and eventually they worked themselves out. Since I began feeding Rumensin with my grain I haven't needed to use them, but I do have a spare in the kit just in case.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Been feeding some bulls for over 2 months now. Free choice hay with a cracked corn protein pellet ration (12-14% protein.
I lost one bull to bloat about 2 weeks ago same night i let another one down and saved his life. Last night I had 4-6 looked bloated but not enough to stick a hose down.

I originally thought the first bale of hay they had was to rich but I put this real stemmy bale in and they still bloat. Wondering if could something other than legumes making them bloat.

been feeding them the same way for 5 years and haven't lost one yet until 2 weeks ago

The bull you let down two weeks ago; was it gas bloat or frothy bloat? I usually associate frothy bloat with forage, and gas bloat with grain/ concentrates.
I agree with Kenny. Some sodium bi carb would be cheep insurance.

 

[Buck Randall]

I have used these screw in canula / trocars in the past:

I just left them in and eventually they worked themselves out. Since I began feeding Rumensin with my grain I haven't needed to use them, but I do have a spare in the kit just in case.

That's the same kind I use. I think there are a couple of the old steel ones in a box somewhere at the clinic, but these are cheap and you can just leave them in until they fall out.

 

[Buck Randall]

How much grain are they getting? Bloat from dry hay is really rare. Unless you make the pellet yourself, you can never assume they're the same feed. Usually the guaranteed analysis will be the same, but the ingredients can be all over the place.

 

[LJCB]

The bull you let down two weeks ago; was it gas bloat or frothy bloat? I usually associate frothy bloat with forage, and gas bloat with grain/ concentrates.
I agree with Kenny. Some sodium bi carb would be cheep insurance.

Frothy. Yeah I've been adding some of that that past couple days but wondering if it should be free choice or not?

 

[LJCB]

How much grain are they getting? Bloat from dry hay is really rare. Unless you make the pellet yourself, you can never assume they're the same feed. Usually the guaranteed analysis will be the same, but the ingredients can be all over the place.

Two weeks ago they were on 12-13 pounds of corn mix and free choice hay after first bloat knocked them back to 8 since then they are on their way back up

 

[SBMF 2015]

Frothy. Yeah I've been adding some of that that past couple days but wondering if it should be free choice or not?

I guess I'd do both. If they want to go lick on it they can, but if you force feed it then you know they are getting what they need.