Content
A big belly on a calf is a fairly common occurrence on the farm. Young cattle are especially sensitive to various infections, which can be transmitted to them primarily through feed, as well as through interaction with other members of the herd. If a calf has a swollen belly, it is necessary to provide him with specialized assistance as quickly as possible, otherwise the animal may die.
Possible Causes of Bloating in a Calf
Abdominal bloating (also tympany) is a pathological condition in which cattle experience a rapid increase in stomach volume. This phenomenon is based on the expansion of individual parts of the stomach (rumen, abomasum, mesh, book) under the pressure of gases accumulated in them. Ultimately, bloating in calves leads to disruption of digestive processes in their bodies. When treatment is started, animals begin to starve, as the accumulated gas puts pressure on the walls of parts of the stomach, deforming other parts, and thereby preventing the movement and absorption of food.
Possible causes of bloating in young animals include:
- transferring animals to a new type of feed;
- feeding the cubs with low-quality food: musty raw hay, fermented foods, rot, food covered with frost;
- unbalanced diet (consumption of fresh wet grass in large quantities, predominance of highly concentrated feed over other products);
- gastrointestinal pathologies of intrauterine origin;
- entry of a foreign object into the esophagus or stomach;
- presence of parasites in calves;
- viral and bacterial infections;
- inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
Diagnosis of the problem
In the acute course of the disease, bloating in calves is diagnosed by the following symptoms:
- appetite suddenly disappears;
- chewing gum stops;
- general condition worsens, calves become lethargic and apathetic;
- rumen activity gradually ceases;
- breathing becomes shallow and difficult, young animals develop shortness of breath;
- the animal coughs frequently;
- foamy discharge forms in the oral cavity;
- calves completely refuse food;
- pulse quickens;
- an apathetic state is replaced by short periods of anxiety;
- cyanosis of the mucous membranes is observed;
- the hungry pit rises;
- body temperature may drop;
- the abdomen noticeably increases in volume, with a clear skew to the left.
A calf with a swollen belly stands with its legs spread wide apart, hunches heavily and every now and then turns on its sides. Despite the general apathetic state, the animal can react sharply to external stimuli, including humans. It often hums and leans forward with its head, however, the work of the muscles in the chest area is difficult.
The chronic form of the disease is in many ways similar to the acute one, however, the symptoms are not so pronounced. With chronic bloating, the functioning of the stomach is impaired for 1-2 weeks, or even several months. Some of these symptoms are observed only after eating. At the same time, calves rapidly lose weight, grow poorly and are clearly lagging behind in development.
Treatment methods
If your calf has bloating, you should never self-medicate. Only a specialist can provide high-quality medical care.
Treatment for bloating requires a comprehensive approach. Treatment is aimed at:
- suspension of the fermentation process in the stomach;
- restoration of normal peristalsis in the gastrointestinal tract;
- removal of gases accumulated in the stomach;
- normalization of general digestive processes.
The algorithm for treating bloating in a calf is as follows:
- The animal is placed so that the front part of its body is on a slight elevation. This position facilitates the passage of gases through the oral cavity.
- The left side of the calf is doused with cold water. Immediately after this, it is necessary to carry out a medium-intensity circular massage on the left side of the animal. During the procedure, use a piece of dry grass.
- To prevent the animal from closing its mouth, mouths are put on it.
- When the mouth is fixed, you can begin to try to induce a burp. To do this, the calf's tongue is poked out rhythmically by hand.Alternatively, you can soak a rope in a strong-smelling solution and bring it to the animal’s face. If there is no reaction, use a rope to irritate the palate of the sick baby.
- If attempts to induce belching do not bring the desired result, proceed to inserting a probe into the calf's stomach. To do this, his muzzle is fixed and a probe is inserted through the mouth. If an obstacle is encountered on the way of the probe, it is moved back a little, after which it continues to move. Correctly performed sounding provokes the release of gases from the stomach. To avoid clogging of the probe, it is sometimes cleaned.
- After the stomach of the sick animal is at least half cleared, it is necessary to pour 1 liter of a mixture of water and vodka, taken in a 1:1 ratio, into the probe. If desired, this solution can be replaced with a solution of table vinegar. For this, 1 tbsp. l. the substances are diluted in 1 liter of water and 1 tsp is added to it. ammonia (can be replaced with soap).
- Based on the weight of the animal, the veterinarian should prescribe Ichthyol (15 g) or Lysol (10 ml) diluted in 1-2 liters of water to calves.
If even probing of the stomach does not help, it is necessary to puncture the scar with a trocar in the area of the hungry fossa. When the gases are released, the trocar is not removed for some time. After removing the tube, the wound must be thoroughly washed with a disinfectant solution. The hole continues to be treated until it is completely healed to prevent infection.
The administration of ruminator drugs, probiotics and enzymes helps normalize digestive processes after bloating. It is also necessary to especially carefully select food for calves in the first days after recovery. Food should not be too heavy.
You can learn more about treating bloating in cattle from the video below:
Prevention
Prevention of bloating in calves comes down to the following measures and precautions:
- The diet of calves must be carefully considered. You should not feed succulent food to animals in large quantities. In addition, easily fermentable foods should be excluded.
- The quality of food is just as important as the type of food. Under no circumstances should calves be fed wet, moldy hay or rotten vegetables.
- Wet, fresh grass is especially dangerous for calves, so you should not take them out to graze immediately after rain.
- New feeds are introduced into the calves’ diet gradually so as not to cause stress in the animal. Portions should be small. At the first changes in behavior, the new food is stopped. In this case, it is necessary to find an alternative.
- If young animals are bottle-fed, cheap substitutes for powdered cow's milk should not be used to feed the animal.
- Before releasing calves to graze in areas with abundant grass, it is recommended to first drive the animals to areas with sparse vegetation.
- In spring, large quantities of green feed cannot be immediately introduced into the diet of calves. After winter, animals must gradually get used to the new type of food.
Following these simple guidelines will help prevent bloat in calves and adult animals.
Conclusion
A large belly in a calf is a fairly common phenomenon, often occurring in animals whose diet is formulated incorrectly. In addition, the most likely causes of bloating include feeding poor quality food. At the first signs of abdominal bloating in calves, it is necessary to provide qualified medical care to the sick animal; self-medication is not allowed.
