Last year we never really had a severe winter, so the forage never stopped growing. McCollum said bloat problems occur when forage begins to grow after being dormant all winter. He said high soil moisture will cause increased growth and add to bloating problems. If producers have to do that, then they will have to spend money maintaining cattle in a different program. Dr. Dennis Herd of College Station, Extension beef cattle specialist, said bloating happens when cattle cannot release gas from the rumen.
Lush forage contains proteins that causes a bubbly mass in the rumen and traps gas.
If an animal bloats, the rumen wall may need to be pierced to allow gas to escape, which can put the animal at risk for infection. Cloudy weather causes changes in growth of forage and contributes to problems with bloating, grass tetany and nitrate accumulation. Herd said the incidence of these problems decreases as forage matures and decreases protein content. Herd said feed additives can help prevent bloating. It tends to be expensive and producers are sometimes not inclined to use it, but it is definitely effective.