Ruminants

A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Bloat in Cattle

Bloat in cattle is a condition where the cattle experience excess accumulation of gas (methane and CO₂) in the rumen and reticulum, leading to severe pain and potential fatalities. Bloating is also a form of indigestion risk that causes huge pressure in the chest of ruminants and often leads to cardiogenic shock.

Bloat in cattle is responsible for 2–3% of deaths in the ruminant industry.

Let’s dive deep into understanding the condition in detail from its types, to causes, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods.

Types of bloat in cattle

Broadly, bloating can be categorized into two types:

Primary (Frothy) Bloating: Also known as ‘Tympany in cattle’, this occurs when the cattle ingest legumes, protein-rich spring grass, or a diet, high in concentrates. A stable foam or froth is formed within the rumen by fermentation, and these gases are not eructated (belched). This type of bloating is seen mostly in beef cattle, particularly those on high-grain diets, and is less common in dairy cattle.
Secondary (Free-gas) Bloating: Also known as ‘secondary ruminal tympany’, occurs when there is a physical obstruction (e.g. fruit or vegetable) to eructate (belch) the gas trapped within the rumen. This esophageal obstruction due to foreign bodies can also interfere with the neural pathways involved in the eructation reflexes, possibly leading to asphyxiation. Unusual postures in cattle, particularly lateral recumbency, are commonly associated with this secondary ruminal tympany. Tumors and other lesions are fewer common causes of this type of bloating.

Now let’s get to know the causes of bloating in detail.

Causes of bloat in cattle

While we have now understood bloating, and its types, let’s try and identify the causes that lead to this condition. Numerous factors cause bloat in cattle:

Pasture: Lush, wet pastures that are low in fiber and high in soluble protein can lead to bloating in cattle. Clovers, lucerne, and alfalfa are especially fatal for the cattle.
Spring grass: This can be high in water content and sugars, which can cause digestive microbes to produce excessive gas
Choking: If a cow swallows a large object (potato, beet, or fruit) it can get lodged in the esophagus and prevent the cow from belching.
Diet: Some diets such as those high in grain, or legumes promote the formation of free gas
Milk fever: Cows with milk fever can’t mobilize calcium from their bones or absorb it from their gut quickly enough. This can lead to bloating, as well as weakness, ataxia, and recumbency.
Age: Acute tympany in cattle can more likely be seen in young animals than older animals

Tympany in cattle can also be caused by several other reasons including host-parasite reaction following grub treatment choking, fewer eructations without rumen activities, and inherited tendencies where the cattle are more susceptible to bloat due to their genetics.

Clinical signs and symptoms of tympany in cattle

Cattle suffering from bloating may display some of the following signs and symptoms:

Distension of the left side of the abdomen: The left side of the cattle’s body appears protruded, especially in the contours of the ribs and pelvis region
Frequent urination and defecation: The cattle may urinate and defecate more frequently than usual
Labored breathing: Dyspnea and grunting are accompanied by mouth breathing, protrusion of the tongue, extension of the head
Skin tautness: The skin over the left flank becomes progressively tauter and, in severe cases, cannot be tented
Discomfort: The cattle may stomp its feet or kick its belly due to discomfort when it grazes on certain types of forage, or when they are fed certain cattle feed

If the bloating continues, the cattle may also collapse and die. Bloat in feedlot (livestock) cattle is most frequently associated with indigestion caused by acidosis. Death losses are minimal in well-managed feedlot.

How to treat bloat in cattle?

Frothy Bloating

Emergency Rumenotomy: Treating tympany in cattle is challenging because the frothy material quickly plugs the stomach tube (trocar).To save a cattle’s life, an emergency rumenotomy (surgical opening of the rumen) may be considered in such cases.
Anti-foaming Agents: A variety of anti-foaming agents are generally effective. Agents such as non-toxic oils, detergents, or surfactants are administered ororuminally (through a probe used to collect samples from the rumen) to decrease the surface tension and break down the foam into larger gas bubbles that can be removed with a stomach tube or eructated (belched).
Saliva: It is important to stimulate saliva to prevent/reduce bloating. Tying a stick in the mouth like a horse’s bit is usually used to promote saliva production. The alkalinity of the saliva assists in the denaturation of the stable foam.
Baking soda: Careful drenching with about 100-150 grams of baking soda in water might also help in accomplishing the same result
Walking: For mildly bloated livestock cattle, walking can help shake the foam down and expel it

Free-gas Bloating

Trocar and cannula: In severe cases, a wide-bore trocar and cannula can be inserted into the rumen to release gas and froth
Incision: A larger-bore instrument (2.5 cm in diameter) is necessary, but an incision through the skin must be made before it can be inserted through the muscle layers and into the rumen.
Anti-foaming agents: After releasing the gas, an anti-bloat preparation can be poured into the rumen to break down any remaining foam

Now let’s understand how we can prevent and control bloating

The following measures can be taken for prevention and control of bloating in cattle:

Grazing management: Avoid letting hungry cattle graze pastures with high-risk plants, and avoid grazing legumes before they bloom. Instead, cattle should be filled with dry hay or grass pastures before grazing in high-risk pastures. Also, avoid grazing on fresh, moist pastures.
Identify high-risk pastures: Assess the bloat risk of your pastures, and identify the ones with a high proportion of legumes as high-risk
Use bloat oil: Apply bloat oil to pasture daily, or to roughage like hay
Slow introduction: Introduce cows slowly to new pastures
Treat affected cattle: If clinical bloat occurs, treat the affected cattle and remove the others from the pasture
Wilting: Wilting alfalfa for 24 to 48 hours can reduce the risk of bloat in cattle
Continual administration: Administer a pint of vegetable oil, mineral oil, or ¼ cup of mild detergent as a drench for pastures

When these treatments, and prevention & control measures seem to fail, cattle encounter death. And in those circumstances, identifying the causes and signs seems all the more important. Here’s how you can recognize the reasons.

In conclusion, one of the ideal treatments for bloating in cattle can be supplementing a phytogenic feed additive that modulates the risk of subacute rumen acidosis, rumen fermentation, and systemic inflammation in cattle-fed acidogenic diets.

When it comes to tympany in cattle, Tyrel ^® —a unique polyherbal formulation by Natural Remedies—helps cattle quickly expel gases from the rumen. The product is meticulously designed to break already formed froth in the mouth, suppress further gas formation, normalize disturbed digestive processes, and be safe for the ruminal microflora.

Innovations in Ruminant Nutrition Management