We have a heifer that has started to bloat just a little. She has been on feed for several months so there hasn't been any drastic changes for her. She has just started this a few weeks ago. It isn't bad and goes away. Since she's started it, we've increased her dry hay (brome) and taken away the alfalfa. we've dropped some corn out of her ration and upped the oats, we've increased her exercise. This morning she was fine, we fed her and just went out a little bit ago and she is aired up again. She is almost where we want her condition-wise so I hate to back her off too much but then again, we can't have her bloating all the time. We are going to try a bloatguard block but have no idea if she'll get enough from it or not. I can order the product in to put directly in her ration if the block won't work. However, I'm not sure this will fix the problem. Any ideas?
Bloat
- Thread starter kanshow
- Start date
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red
Well-known member
some people swear by tide in the feed. I've never used it however. Also extra baking soda.
Red
Red
Jill
Well-known member
We had one a couple of years ago, we had a bloat block and it seemed to take care of it, haven't really ever had a problem than that 1. We don't feed any alfalfa, too high in protein, brome hay should be plenty.
I have recently had a lot of experience with this, lol.
This past year we had a calf that started bloating just like you said, usually on show morning. Not really bad enough to be dangerous, but if it were at a show, we'd have to tube her and get the gas out. We kept a bloat block with her. HOWEVER, the medication in a bloat block is for a condition called "frothy bloat." USUALLY frothy bloat comes from grazing legumes or lush green pasture. Not from grain. It did no good for the heifer because all she had was gas. Frothy bloat being a complex of mucas like bubbles, which looks kinda like snot with bubbles,lol.
Right now we are feeding an 18 month old heifer that has been on grain a long time, it's not uncommon for bloat to occur after animals have been on feed a long time. And about a month ago she swelled up dangerously, called the vet, tubed her, nothing came out, stuck hyperdermic needles in her rumen, nothing came out. She had frothy bloat from grain, no exposure to pasture or legume hay or anything similar. Had to put some medicine in her rumen that acts similar to what soap would in a bubble bath, it breaks up the bubbles. Ordered a bloat block but she bloated again before it arrived. Now that it is here, she won't hardly touch it, even though it is molasses based. So I just may have to end her show career now.
What worked for best for me on the first heifer was a ration of dry beet pulp and crimped oats. We supplemented with Mormans #1 Mineral and she still bloated once in a while. It became so bad before that she would bloat every day on a regular ration that contained corn, etc.
This past year we had a calf that started bloating just like you said, usually on show morning. Not really bad enough to be dangerous, but if it were at a show, we'd have to tube her and get the gas out. We kept a bloat block with her. HOWEVER, the medication in a bloat block is for a condition called "frothy bloat." USUALLY frothy bloat comes from grazing legumes or lush green pasture. Not from grain. It did no good for the heifer because all she had was gas. Frothy bloat being a complex of mucas like bubbles, which looks kinda like snot with bubbles,lol.
Right now we are feeding an 18 month old heifer that has been on grain a long time, it's not uncommon for bloat to occur after animals have been on feed a long time. And about a month ago she swelled up dangerously, called the vet, tubed her, nothing came out, stuck hyperdermic needles in her rumen, nothing came out. She had frothy bloat from grain, no exposure to pasture or legume hay or anything similar. Had to put some medicine in her rumen that acts similar to what soap would in a bubble bath, it breaks up the bubbles. Ordered a bloat block but she bloated again before it arrived. Now that it is here, she won't hardly touch it, even though it is molasses based. So I just may have to end her show career now.
What worked for best for me on the first heifer was a ration of dry beet pulp and crimped oats. We supplemented with Mormans #1 Mineral and she still bloated once in a while. It became so bad before that she would bloat every day on a regular ration that contained corn, etc.
SWMO
Well-known member
We have had two this year that from time to time have bloated. One heifer and one steer. I have been using Fastrack in our feed and the heifer seems to have quite. However the steer is still bloating about every 10 to 14 days. I have given him two rounds of probiotic and that seems to be keeping him down for now. Hope it continues to work.
Bloating is frustrating!! We have a really good steer that does the same and will bloat for no good reason. One thing you might want to do is put a magnet down her in case she has picked up some hardware.( Hardware will make them bloat) Fastrack will also help and if she bloats give her about 12 oz of vegetable oil down her throat and that should bring her down within an hour or so. Hope this helps it has worked for us ... so far.
I had a heifer that did the same thing yours is doing. She'd been on feed for about two months. She had always been a finicky eater. Would NOT eat tide. So I top-dressed her feed with mineral oil, about 20cc and that cured it for her. Baking soda I would think would help too. Good luck!!
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