Effects of Administration of Oils and of Penicillin on Incidence and Severity of Bloat and Certain Other Responses of Cattle

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A water-dispersible oil markedly reduced the incidence and severity of bloat, even during periods of very severe bloating, when fed at levels of 1 and 2% in the drinking water of Holstein steers grazing alfalfa pasture. The effect was less in feed-lot bloat but incidence and severity also were less. In most instances the animals fed oil had higher average daily weight gains than controls. Procaine penicillin (75 mg/animal/day) appeared to reduce bloat when first administered to steers receiving alfalfa soilage. However, later in the season, when the bloat-producing potential of the forage increased sharply, animals fed penicillin had a high incidence and severity of bloat, as did controls. Penicillin feeding apparently had no effect on weight gains. Limited observations were made on the effect on bloat of various oils sprayed on fresh alfalfa soilage. Results indicated that a level of 0.25 lb. of oil per animal per day greatly reduced bloat.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: