Since having a cow that had bloat earlier this week I have done quite a bit more research on the topic and thought I would share the information. That said, I am NOT a vet and you can decide to use this information or not. If in doubt, I ALWAYS opt for calling the vet.
Cattle bloat is basically just indigestion that leads to excessive gas being built up. When this happens, burping is unable to relieve all the gas. There are certain feeds which are more prone to causing bloat such as: legumes, alfalfa, too much grain or finely chopped hay.
As the cow bloats, the left side (where the rumen is located) of the belly gets larger than the right side making the cow appear lop-sided. As it worsens, both sides will get larger. When this happens, there is more and more pressure being put on the lungs and heart. This makes it very hard for the cow to breath and can quickly cause death if not relieved.
While there are feed supplements to help prevent bloat there are some things that can be done other than that. Don't put cows on wet legume pasture as this ferments easily and don't rush them when moving them in or out of pasture. Movement irritates the rumen and can make bloat worse. Also, the time they spend in lush spring pastures may have to be limited. Also, there are cows who are just more prone to getting bloat than others. In this case, the question arises whether or not to sell them or not. The risk with keeping them is that if they bloated and you didn't notice, they could die.
Treatment for mild to moderate bloat includes a tube passed through the left side of the mouth or nose, through the esophagus and into the rumen. This can require a tube many feet long depending on the size of the cow. Through this tube mineral oil can be given to break up the foam. Also, using a bite block works well to prevent the cow from biting the tube.
If the cow is having difficulty breathing, this may require more immediate emergency actions involving a needle or trocar inserted through the belly into the rumen to immediately relieve the gas. If the cow is in dire need and taking it's last gasping breaths, a pocket knife can be used to make a hole which can be stitched by the vet after the emergency is over. One may need to use their fingers in order to spread the opening larger if the foam is too thick to allow the gas to escape. I also read that the vet can insert a permanent valve for cows that bloat often. I don't know any details on that, but it is something we will keep in mind for our heifer.
All of the information I found has been helpful to us in dealing with our young lady. We tried her out on grass this morning and it appeared that her belly was growing again so I put her in the barn again where I believe she will remain until the calf is born. I am not sure what the problem is, but suspect it may be either the positioning of her calf or the size of it. Either way, I will be keeping a close eye on her in the barn due to my suspicion of problems with labor and delivery!
I hope this information is helpful, but please also remember that I AM NOT A VET! I am publishing this information as just that- information period. It is not meant as medical advice or as a replacement for contacting a professional!
