Bloat in Cattle. II. Its Development on Alfalfa Pasture after Inoculation of Empty Rumina with Autoclaved or Fresh Rumen Fluid

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Abstract
Rumina of 3 sets of fistulated identical-twin cows were emptied, washed with water, and replaced with (a) 4 1 of natural fluid or (b) 4 1 autoclaved rumen fluid. Both kinds of rumen fluid were from bloating cows. When pastured on alfalfa, cows receiving natural fluid bloated the 2d day. Cows receiving autoclaved fluid bloated the 4th day, even though consuming almost optimum amounts of bloat-producing feed the 2d and 3d days. These results, plus a bacteriological study also made, suggest that bloat does not result from a physical breakdown of feed, but that bloat may depend on establishing a certain concentration of microorganisms.