Just had my first case of bloat for real. Went into the barn, didn't see anything, heard a really loud thump. Looked over the wall and there was one of my pregnant cows blown up, thrashing about wildly on her side, legs stuck out like stiff pins. Called the vet and in the meantime punctured left side to release the pressure with as big a needle as I could find. Didn't do much but probably eased the pressure a little. Vet arrived, I held her head back firm and he punctured her with a thing that looked like the one that Hannibal Lectar had in his mouth, and a rush of air came out. Drenched her with 1/3rd bottle of vegetable oil with a tablespoon of washing up liquid in it...yummy!
Can't work out the cause. All on late-cut haylage, 100 cows all on the same or similar no problems. Anyhow took the bale they had out and replaced with very dry late-cut hay that I know is low feed value because they turn their nose up at it.
But wow....do you need to be prepared for bloat. No time to spare at all. She would have been dead in not much time and she could have made a mess of me as well the way she way thrashing about.
Edited By Broomcroft on 1261683620
Bloat
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Broomcroft
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- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:42 am
- Location: Shropshire, England
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