Some have even died, according to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. The problem has been most common in the South Plains, where recent weather has been ideal for bloat. Agricultural experts say bloating occurs when cattle graze on forage ripe with protein, which happens when plants grow wildly after being dormant during a cold winter. The protein causes a bubbly mass in the animal's first stomach, or rumen, trapping gas there. In some cases, the only way to relieve the gas is to puncture the rumen, which puts the animal at risk for infection, extension officials say.
Ranchers sometimes face the costly option of moving their cattle to stay out of harm's way.
Dennis Herd, an extension beef cattle specialist, said the problem decreases as vegetation gets older and contains less protein. Feed additives are also used to help prevent bloating, but some ranchers are reluctant to use them because of the cost, Herd said.