USA - Grazing in lush pastures can cause bloat in cattle

Rain and sun have worked their grass-greening magic on pastures, but cattle producers know that too much of a good thing can be detrimental. Excess consumption of newly emerged wheat in pastures can cause bloating in cattle, Texas Cooperative Extension reports. “We have a bloat problem in stocker cattle grazing wheat from Central Texas to the Panhandle,” said Extension livestock specialist Dr. Joe Paschal. Spurred on by plenty of soil moisture, winter wheat grew “fast and tall,” said Dr. Floron “Buddy” Faries of College Station, Extension state veterinarian. “Quick growth caused the forage to be high in protein, but low in fiber,” Faries said. Fiber stimulates the rumen and allows for normal fermentation and function, keeping bloat at bay. When fiber is low and protein is high, bloat is more likely to occur. “Normally there’s not as much to graze on, but rain created a large production,” he said. Cattle bloat occurs when the animal cannot rid itself of gas. Cattle spend eight hours a day chewing their cud and belching, Faries said. If that process is hindered too severely, the cattle could die. One sign of bloating is the swelling of the animal’s left side. The enlargement is shaped like a football, Paschal said. As gas increases, so does pressure and swelling. “In the meantime, all of the internal organs — lungs, heart, liver, intestines — also are being squeezed by the enlarged and tightly pressured rumen, and they are all working harder. Severe bloat could cause death by asphyxiation and/or a heart attack,” Paschal said. The newly emerged forage becomes more fibrous as it ages, Faries said, but until then, a close eye and management by producers are needed. Many treatments for cattle bloat exist; however, they can be dangerous, Faries said. The best thing to do is contact a veterinarian.