bloat & dry laundry detergent

[CAB]

One of my son's show calves has started bloating. I know that different members have said dry laundry detergent mixed in the feed ration helps, but I can't remember that anyone has ever mentioned how much detergent per calf that should be applied. If anyone has tried this or knows how much ,I would appreiate your recipe. Thank You, Cab

 

[renegade]

I have had a lot of luck with baking soda. I would try that too if i were you.

 

[pigguy]

Tide dry detergant works great, but alot of the times they dont like the taste, and will go off feed for awhile. However Baking soda works great also and they dont mind the taste. But if you want to use detergant for one calf i would use about 1/4 cup for a 500 lb calf and 1/2 cup for a 1000 lbs calf. If you use baking soda i would put like 1/8 of a cup for a 500 lb calf and 1/4 of a cup for 1000 lbs calf (i think we havent use it for a while maybe renegade could help on the baking soda )))

 

[cowz]

IMHO...Don't do it!!....we have tried the laundry soap trick and believe that we ruined a bull because of it.  Try bloat block ,  THERABLOAT, (which we think is THE best thing ever invented.....from your vet supply store) or baking soda.  On show calves, we like to shave off some bloat block into the feed pan.  If that doesn't work, try 1/4 cup baking soda per feeding.  We always keep a bottle of therabloat in every pickup and in the showbox.

 

[pigguy]

IMHO...Don't do it!!....we have tried the laundry soap trick and believe that we ruined a bull because of it.   Try bloat block ,  THERABLOAT, (which we think is THE best thing ever invented.....from your vet supply store) or baking soda.   On show calves, we like to shave off some bloat block into the feed pan.  If that doesn't work, try 1/4 cup baking soda per feeding.  We always keep a bottle of therabloat in every pickup and in the showbox.

what happened to the bull??

 

[minimoo38]

i don't know why someone would feed laundry detergent to a calf. there are all sorts of dangerous chemicals and powerful solvents that could disrupt the pH level in the stomach. it might give the calf diarrhea because of the soaps in the detergent.

 

[DL]

There is something about feeding laundry detergent to cattle that really bothers me - yes I know people do it and the "swear" it works - although most aren't really labeled as to what they have in them it is likely the surfactants or baking soda (if included) that work to minimize the bloat - not the optical whiteners, fabulous brighteners and dirt departitioners. I don't think they add much to meat quality either.

What I recommend when a calf starts to bloat is pull them off grain and give them only grass hay, then gradually add back the grain - I think poloxaline (the active ingredient in Therabloat) is a great idea - doesn't hurt to have those blocks around and carrying a bottle like cowz said is also a good idea. Baking soda is another good option, as is vegetable oil mixed with the feed (which also adds calories). Before putting the calf back on grain a probiotic is not a bad idea either. You want to keep the rumen bugs happy.

IMVHO Tide and its friends are for washing

 

[tackes]

Detergent???
I'm not so sure I'd put something in my animal that I myself would not consume. My husband's previous boss who was an organic farmer had the best idea yet.

When cows would bloat my husband was instructed to give the cow 24 ounces of vegetable oil by mouth. They didn't put it on feed or anything; just down the hatch with a soda bottle and a milker inflation. The cows don't like it, but I'm sure its much better than detergent and definitely has no ill side effects. I've seen this method cure bloat in less than 3 hours.

Good luck and let us know what you do to cure it.

 

[afhm]

I've done the Tide before, we fed a cup per feeding.  The calf's bloating went away and its teeth were so white it made me want to use the soap for toothpaste.  I have also added a cup of mineral oil per feeding.  Except for a few occasions feeding a ounce of powdered probiotic every day kept all the bloating away.

 

[CAB]

Don't know what we will do in the end. We have sodiumbicarb in the ration, there i8s a bloat guard block in the bunk, I have now drenched the heifer twice with veg. oil. I was told that the thera bloat product is very good, and have tried to run down a source. Does anyone know the name of the co. that makes it? DL, I will probably take her back down and restart her, that's my next choice I think. I'm like most of you in regards to feeding the soap. Doesn't sound so good. Thanks for all of your input. We'll try to keep the heifer breathing.

 

[Kupfarm]

We have used the above mentioned Veg. oil method, but used mineral oil instead. Another method we have used is: We cut about a foot off of a broom handle and fashioned a make shift Bit out of it with Bale twine.  The Calves chewed on the handle in a grooming chute.  This has worked for us every time, except when the steer was bloated too bad to get into a chute and we had to call the Vet.  Good Luck with your Bloat and the option you chose.

 

[DL]

Don't know what we will do in the end. We have sodiumbicarb in the ration, there i8s a bloat guard block in the bunk, I have now drenched the heifer twice with veg. oil. I was told that the thera bloat product is very good, and have tried to run down a source. Does anyone know the name of the co. that makes it? DL, I will probably take her back down and restart her, that's my next choice I think. I'm like most of you in regards to feeding the soap. Doesn't sound so good. Thanks for all of your input. We'll try to keep the heifer breathing.

The Therabloat blocks are made by Sweetlix - which is now owned by Hubbard - most (many) mills and feed stores will carry it. The Therabloat liquid and other liquid products you can find in the mail order livestock catalogs if you cant find them at the feed store.

If you run into a problem you can fill a pop bottle with vegetable oil, hold the calves head upish and pour it in his mouth and let him swallow it - I would not drench with mineral oil as it can cause a chemical pneumonia if aspirated into the lungs. Putting it in the feed is not such an issue.

Tackes -- while I understand you point (certainly) ruminants are different than you and I - and while I think the idea of giving cattle laundry detergent is abhorent - I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal of soybean hulls ;D

 

[chambero]

I hope you have better luck than I did.  My son's steer for the majors bloated and died about 10 days ago.  He started it the week before on a Sunday morning.  I let the air out of him with a tube, but he was as bad as I'd seen one still alive.  Pulled him off feed for a few days and started easing him back.  My wife found him dead Thursday evening before last about 3 hours after eating 6 pounds of feed.

Detergent will work.  Lots of people feed it to stocker cattle when going out on wheat, but we use the Therabloat blocks.

For initial treatment, run a water hose down their throat to let the gas off.  You have to move it around, but you can hit the "sweet spot" and out it will come.

We do pump them with mineral oil or vegetable oil following a bloating event.  Always have and haven't ever had trouble with respiratory.  If they are bloated badly, you can worry about the pneumonia later when its a matter of imminent death.

I'd suggest a complete change of feed with lots of oil put in it for a long term solution.

 

[CAB]

  Sorry Chambero for your son's loss. I have had several over the years bloat occasionally. I hosed this one twice last week, followed with 20 oz. veg oil. She is a real good heifer, Sunseeker on a Lighthouse. Haven't decided yet if she is going to be cronic or if we can get her straightened back out. She is in with 4 other calves right now & I would like to leave her there. It is MO that it is easier to feed 5 than 1. Our plan was to show her , but we may have to let her out, if we want a future for her. Why is it always the better ones and it can't be the knot head survivor, if one has to go. Evolution? Thanks again everyone. Cab

 

[chambero]

If she turns out chronic and you have a Plan B to show I'd definitely let her go be a cow.  The constant worry and having to mess with a chronic one constantly is hardly worth the headache.

Maybe she'll quit doing it and all will be well.

 

[Clubcalfshowgirl]

In every feeding u ad 1 tsp of non scented,no bleach tide in there feed, mine like to blost when they start to finsh and so i keep them on this all the time. also if on bloats do  12oz  mineral oil and 2 tsp soap and drinch them

One of my son's show calves has started bloating. I know that different members have said dry laundry detergent mixed in the feed ration helps, but I can't remember that anyone has ever mentioned how much detergent per calf that should be applied. If anyone has tried this or knows how much ,I would appreiate your recipe. Thank You, Cab

 

[ATOZ]

I just wanted to say thanks ( even though i did not start this topic) i too have a calf that is bloating and have tried fastrack( probotics), baking soda(bicarb) and neither one work that good. The other day he bloated and would not go down, in the past he would go down on his own in about 3 -5 hours, so after about 10 hours i had to do something so i gave him 24 oz of veg. oil . In less than 1 hour he was down and was eating like a pig. I am giving this calf one more chance on a different ration with less cottonseed hulls,  less oats and more corn to see if he can be fixed( if he wasn't so dam good i would give up). But thank you for the help!!

 

[renegade]

(welcome)

 

[CAB]

ATOZ, you are IMO, doing the wrong thing by going to a hotter ration. In fact you may have to take him off of all grain concentrates. The corn may be the # 1 cause for the bloat. We all want to push too hard, too fast. I would say that you may want to try to get a bloat guard type of block and give your steer access to it and no other blocks like salt or mineral blocks for awhile. If you are feeding this calf separately by chance, I would do the mineral oil, corn oil, or which ever oil you deem the best for you. The probios treatment will not be an instant fix. I would give him probios every 3rd day for 3 to 4 times. You are trying to get his rumen bugs adjusted by using these products. Another thing that you can do is to go to a slaughter facility and get some rumen contents. You then will have to to strain this through a towel or strainer with warm water as to not shock or kill the microbes. Once this is done you then need to drench the steer with the fluids. Natural form of probios. Long stem hay or even straw may be best to restart the rumen. Good Luck. Our heifer is still breathing and hasn't been up since last Friday. We have her on a bloat guard, but are watching her as if she were about to calf. LOL.

 

[DL]

ATOZ - feedlot bloat (which is basically what we see in show calves) is the result of altered rumen microbe fermentation because of highly fermentable carbohydrates - corn is a biggy here - talk to a nutritionist or someone more experienced before you muck around with your ration proportions - real hot rations can "burn out" the rumen and really make your life miserable, not to mention the calves life miserable...