Why bloat is common during rainy seasons

Cows grazing [iStockphoto]

Dear Daktari, I am a dairy farmer and I recently encountered a case that nearly claimed my precious dairy cow. I was lucky because I called in a veterinary doctor who quickly saved my cow but warned me that bloat is a fatal condition. My problem he said was the lucerne I was feeding my cow on. With the rains, I had planted a large area and I had seen an increase in milk yields after I fed the lucerne to the cow and hence the temptation to give more. I am sharing this information with other farmers who may fall into such problems. [Charles Wanami, Bungoma County]

Thank you Mr Wanami for reaching out to us. Bloat is common in succulent pastures. Legumes that include lucerne, alfalfa and clover top the list of succulent pastures that can easily cause bloat. Others include young green cereal crops and sukuma wiki that are now in great supply thanks to the rains. Grains can also cause this type of bloat. Legumes have a natural substance called - saponin which forms in the stomach and traps gas forming small air bubbles that hold onto air that ought to be released or eructated over time. This causes pressure to build up in the rumen; impairing other physiological functions for example breathing. They cause primary bloat; and this is the commonest type of bloat. These culprit feeds also lower the production of saliva that has anti-foaming abilities and help in eructation (release of air or gas from the stomach or esophagus through the mouth) and digestion.