Ruminal Tmpany (Bloat)
Teshale Sori
Ruminal Tmpany (Bloat)
Ruminal tympany is abnormal distension of the
rumen and reticulum caused by excessive
retention of the gases of fermentation:
either in the form of a persistent foam
mixed with the rumen contents or
as free gas separated
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ETIOLOGY
1. Primary ruminal tympany (frothy bloat)
Primary ruminal tympany or frothy bloat is
caused by the production of a stable foam that
traps the normal gases of fermentation in the
rumen
The essential feature is that coalescence of the
small gas bubbles is inhibited and intraruminal
pressure increases because eructation cannot
occur
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A. Pasture bloat
Leguminous or pasture bloat is due to the foaming
qualities of the soluble leaf proteins in bloating
legumes and other bloating forages ingested by
cattle on pasture
Frothiness of the ruminal contents is the vital
factor in pasture bloat
The chloroplast particles are readily colonized
by rumen microflora and gas bubbles are trapped
among the particles; this prevent coalescence of
bubbles by preventing drainage of rumen fluid
from the liquid lamellae between the bubbles.
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Pasture bloat
Bloating forages:
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), red clover
(Trifolium pratense) and white clover
(Trifolium repens)
Crop maturity:
Grazing very succulent pasture - immature,
rapidly growing legumes in the prebloom stage -
is the biggest single risk of bloat in cattle
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B. Feedlot bloat
Feedlot bloat is caused by feeding finely ground
grain, which promotes frothiness of rumen
contents;
Is associated with high-level grain diets;
The viscosity of the ruminal fluid is markedly
increased because of the production of insoluble
slime by certain species of bacteria that
proliferate to large numbers;
The slime may entrap the gases of fermentation
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2. Secondary ruminal tympany (free-gas
bloat)
Physical obstruction to eructation occurs in:
Esophageal obstruction caused by a foreign body, by
stenosis of the esophagus, by pressure from
enlargements outside the esophagus, such as
tuberculous lymphadenitis, bovine leukosis
Interference with the nerve pathways
A sudden marked change in the pH of the rumen
contents due to either acidity or alkalinity
Hypocalcemia
While most cases of feedlot bloat associated with
outbreaks are of the frothy type (primary), can be
free gas 7
3. Chronic ruminal tympany
Chronic ruminal tympany occurs in calves up to 6
months of age:
Persistence of an enlarged thymus,
continued feeding on coarse indigestible
roughage,
and the passage of unpalatable milk replacer
into the rumen, where it undergoes
fermentation and gas production, instead of
into the abomasum,
Disappears spontaneously in time
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Pasture bloat:
EPIDEMIOLOGY:Occurrence
Pasture bloat occurs in both dairy and beef cattle
that graze pastures consisting of bloating
forages.
The incidence is highest when the pasture is
lushest
Feedlot bloat:
Feedlot bloat occurs in feedlot cattle during the
50-100 days when cattle are fed large
quantities of grain and small quantities of
roughage
In some cases the use of pelleted, finely ground
feed has been associated with outbreaks of
feedlot Bloat
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Morbidity and case fatality
Pasture bloat:
In dairy herds in New Zealand, the average death
rate due to legume pasture bloat has ranged from
0.3-1.2%.
A survey of 312 dairy farms in New Zealand over a
period of 2 months revealed that 87% of all farms
experienced bloat, ranging from mild to severe
The highest death rate of milking cows in an
individual herd was 16% and in young stock 48%.
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Feedlot bloat:
In a survey of Kansas feedlots (60 lots totalling
450 000 head of cattle) the incidence of deaths
due to bloat was
0.1 %; 0.2% of cattle had severe bloat and 0.6%
moderate bloat
In a Colorado feedlot, during one full year, bloat
was the cause of 3% of all mortalities.
In the same study, bloat was among the four
most common causes of sudden death
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Economic importance
Primary ruminal tympany causes heavy losses
through death, severe loss of production and
the strict limitations placed on the use of some
high producing pastures for grazing
For example, it is estimated that bloat costs the
dairy industry in New Zealand $50 million
annually
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Normally, gas bubbles produced in the rumen fluid
PATHOGENESIS
coalesce, separate from the rumen contents to form
pockets of free gas above the level of the contents,
Finally eliminated by eructation
A grass fed cow can produce 100 L during the first
hour of feeding. A cow maintained on a legume diet
may produce 200 L per hour.
In frothy bloat, the gas bubbles remain dispersed
throughout the rumen contents,
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producing an abnormal increase in the volume of
the ruminoreticular contents and, consequently,
inhibiting eructation.
In free-gas bloat the gas bubbles coalesce and
separate from the rumen fluid but the animals
cannot eructate the pockets of free gas because
of abnormalities of the reticulorumen or
esophagus.
Frothiness of the ruminaI contents interferes
with function of the cardia and inhibits the 14
Rumen movements are initially stimulated by the
distension and the resulting hypermotility
exacerbates the frothiness of the ruminal
contents.
Terminally there is a loss of muscle tone and
ruminal motility
As the intraruminal pressure increases,
occlusion of the vena cava, reduced lung capacity
and death from hypoxia.
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Primary pasture or feedlot bloat:
CLINICAL FINDINGS
Sudden death
Feedlot cattle die of bloat commonly found in
the morning
Obvious distension of the rumen
Discomfort and the animal may stand and lie
down
Kick at its abdomen and even roll
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CLINICAL FINDINGSdefecation
Frequent and urination are
common
Dyspnea is marked and is accompanied by
mouth breathing, protrusion of the
tongue, salivation and extension of the head
The respiratory rate is increased up to 60/min
Occasionally, projectile vomiting occurs
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In mild to moderate bloat:
the left paralumbar fossa is distended,
the animal is not in distress, and
5-7 cm of skin over the left paralumbar fossa
may be easily grasped and 'tented'
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In severe bloat:
The skin over the left flank is very tense
and
cannot be grasped and tented
Low pitched typanic sound
Collapse and death almost without struggle
occur quickly
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Protrusion and congestion of the tongue
N ECROPSY FINDINGS
Marked congestion and hemorrhages of lymph
nodes
Friable kidneys and mucosal hyperemia in the
small intestine
The lungs are compressed
The rumen is distended
A marked erythema is evident beneath the
ruminal mucosa, especially in the ventral sacs
The liver is pale because of expulsion of blood
from the organ
Occasionally, the rumen or diaphragm have
ruptured 20
1. Emergency rumenotomy
TREATM ENT
Using a sharp knife, a quick incision 10-20 cm
in length is made over the midpoint of the left
paralumbar fossa
Once animals fall down - death
2. Trocar and cannula
3. Promote salivation or careful drenching with
sodium bicarbonate (150-200 g in 1 L of water)
4. Stomach tube
5. Antifoaming agents (tallow at the level of 3-5
% of the total ration, 4 % salt, Poloxalene)
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Condensed tannins in forages
CONTROL
Alternative temperate forages
Field management
Grazing management
Swathing and wilting
Antifoaming agents
Oils and fats
Water-soluble feed supplements
Poloxalene
Alfasure
Alcohol ethoxylate detergents
Controlled-release monensin capsules
10-15% roughage
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