The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-10-01
Alfalfa Bisal -las Cause and Rsm.dy.

Alfalfa bloaE causes q great deal o.
loss 70 daiFymen and other cattle
owners when the meadows are con,
verted into pastures altar the remov.
al OF the last cutting Of hay. Ths
cause Of the bloat 10 not the genera,
tton of an excess OF gas in he equine
stomach but Il Ia caused By the chok.
ing OF the nat1ral passage bY which
gas escapes from the throat. A gFea'
many foods form MS much gas In ths
stomach OF the COW as does the succu.
lent alfalfa plant, but there are bul
fes kinds Of food tn will choke the
return OF the gas through the throat.
A normal cows stomach generates
enough gas TO kill the animal In q
few hours II the throat Is choked.
The stomachs OF all Tumluants gen.
crate large quantities OF gas frunl
theirnatural foods. THIS gas produc.
es the power which aids the muscles
In returning the f0od 10 the mouth 70
be mastlgated. Whenever this ma
chiner5 cannot be worked the animal
hlost Is and will soon die from ths ex-
cessive pressure against the lungs
and heart. Ii Is not true that any
Of the organs OF the Cow are ruptured
by the bloat 10 cause death. Nature
has provided against such an sxplo.
sion with covering like the pig skin
On football or the tire on the tube
Of al auto wheel.
In all cases Of alfalfa bloaG the
natru,l passage OF the gas from the
stomach IL choked bV q wad of wilted
alfalfa. Only long and soft shoots of
the plant can be formed into this air
tight wRd. Ii the shoots have any
woody iihFe there will be no hIoat.
Ii the sprigs ara short, without much
spread to the leaves, thsy will not
accumulate In compact wAds.
A COW will never bloat In pasture
Hhere the alfalfa has ali grown TO
near the blooming stage. Nor ia .
short pasture Of alfalfa short from
moving or close cropping. Tna risk
OF pasturing cattle on rank crossing
alfalfa is too great 70 ever be assu ned.
The same growth OF clover Ii Just -
bad but clover pastures are not 20
frequently In the stage of maximum
suculency.
The only possible relief for any an.
IiLa al which msy require treatment Ii
the use OF the trocar or other Instrn-
ment as substitute for the trucar.
II is impossible 70 0se any kind Of
medicine as the throat ID cn0ked with
strong pressure from the inside. II
is impossible to cause belohing II the
animal is bloatsd with dangerous
presalre, The only possible relief In
q case that would be fatal without
treatment Ia to be secured by stab.
bing. a common pocket knile IL the
best substitute for the trocaF TIE
exact point At which the instrument
must be inserted Is six inches for
warI from the left hip bone point
and one inch below = horizontal line
for a full grown COW. A cut an ineb
ling at this point II kept open for
one minute will relieve any case OF
bIoAt II the inclsion Is made any
time before life Is extinct. II Ii not
necessary TO administer any remedy
ior bloat as long as the animal II able
to stand up or get up IL lying down.
No chemical treatment can possibly
reach the controllIpg cause OF bioAt.
No mechanical treatment will over.
come the great pressure that chokes
badly bIoated COW. A stick Of
wood brldled in an snimals mouth
Will. have no more effect on the wad
that ehokes hlOatsd COW than .
gimlet hole had for the old imagln-
AIRY disease OF nollow hoIn.
NEWTGN HIBBS.
kN.aaa- D.-R.. A. GmkA