New crop Alfalfa - Two Bloated Calfs

[Bcollins]

Up to this point in my calf raising experience. I have never had a problem with bloating. However, I just started to feed a new crop of Alfalfa and I lost two calves in the same day. I took the rest of the calves off the hay last night. Now I'm feeding grass mix. What is puzzling me is how they bloated off of dry hay? I thought cows would only bloat on fresh alfalfa? What is the best way to protect calves in the future?


Thanks :?:

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Sorry for your loss...

Preventative action in the future is to slowly work your way up to feeding alfalfa with a mix and provide plenty of bloat guard (whether in the feed or lick block, etc.) several weeks prior to switching feed... even prior to turning out onto green grass.

 

[Bcollins]

Live and learn through life experiences. Thanks for the info!

 

[Bcollins]

I know horse don't bloat like cattle. However, Is there anything I need to why about with them?

 

[TheBullLady]

I would be very careful putting a horse on alfalfa without slowly introducing them to it. They won't bloat, but they can sure colic and founder on you.

 

[msscamp]

What is puzzling me is how they bloated off of dry hay? I thought cows would only bloat on fresh alfalfa? What is the best way to protect calves in the future?


Thanks :?:

Calves can and do bloat on alfalfa hay - especially if they are not used to it and you suddenly start feeding them straight high quality, highly digestible alfalfa hay. If memory serves, it's the digestibility that gets you in trouble. The best way to protect them is to test your alfalfa hay, so you know what kind of protein and digestibility you're dealing with. Once you know that, you can then cut it with grass hay to prevent the problem. I personally would never feed calves straight alfalfa hay free choice, and I would be very careful even feeding a set amount of straight alfalfa hay. I would either be mix it with good quality grass hay - 1 bale of alfalfa for every 2, maybe 3 bales of grass - or it would be alternated - one day alfalfa, the next 2 days grass.

 

[msscamp]

I know horse don't bloat like cattle. However, Is there anything I need to why about with them?

As TheBullLady already stated, horses not used to alfalfa hay can colic and/or founder. Another factor is that, because of the protein content (horses need around 10%, and alfalfa delivers a minimum of 14% usually), alfalfa hay tends to fall into the 'hot' feed category and can cause an otherwise even-tempered horse to become a handful - both while you're riding him, and in the pen/run/corral/field. Unless your horse is a performance horse, a hard keeper, old, or being ridden very hard, he does not need alfalfa hay IMHO.

 

[sjr725]

New alfalfa like the first or second year it's been in, is particularly hazardous - not to say you shouldn't feed it - but you just need to be careful, it has a much finer stem and the leaves are a much greater percentage of the total feed - and so particularly potent. An older crop is heavier in the stem and that is just good roughage and fiber and will dilute the leaves in the total amount of feed volume and it's a little tougher to chew so it slows them down a bit at the feed bunk. When we put in a new alfalfa crop about 4 years ago - I bought grass hay to mix with it the first winter - and ALWAYS keep the bloat blocks out when you're feeding alfalfa - expecially when you bring them off of dry grass. Since we graze our alfalfa in the late fall/winter - we are especially vigilant about bloat medicine in the mineral feeders and bloat blocks near all the water troughs and shelter areas - it's cheap prevention. A little care can save you alot of $$

 

[Peye]

How do you "cure" bloating? It seems that we had one bloating yesterday. I gave her some castor oil and my husband made her walk a little. She was ok after a while.
Thank you all again

 

[msscamp]

How do you "cure" bloating?

It is not possible to 'cure' bloating, as it is a symptom of something else being wrong - usually feed that is too high in protein/digestibility, but it can also be caused by other things as well, such as acidosis. All you can do is treat the bloat, figure out what is behind it, and correct the source of the bloat.

 

[Susie David]

We introduce the calves to alflafa gradually....how was the moisture content of the stuff that you fed?
Sorry about your loss. Up here the alfalfa hasn't been cut. still a week or two out...if we don't get raiin may not have a second cut this year. Pasture is dry and the cows are getting
supplimented with a grass mix.
DMc