The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-06-20
Cattle Floating Caused by Eating
Stolen Greens.

with the approach Of the season at
which bloating of cattle frequently oc-
ours, the Bureau Of Animal Industry
of the United States Department of
Agriculture calls attention to the
principal causes of the trouble and al
so the means by which It may be
avoided. Many COW has come to
an untimely end because she become
dissatisfied with the scanty feed to be
gathered from the closely crop-fed
pasture, broke down the fence that
surrounded a field containing a more
luxuriant growth, and stuffed herself
with the luscious, stolen green's, until
she lost all desire for even another
mouthful.
Soon her troubles begin. Fermen-
tation develops in the mass of corn
or clover, and gas forms that fills
the first stomach of the COW to its
utmost capacity.
How Fermentation Causes Death
The danger of the animal from
acute bloating Is not that the distend-
ed stomach may rupture. for such an
accident Is almost unknown, The
pressure of the gas-distended stomach
exerts a dangerous pressure upon the
heart and lungs, with the result that
animals dying from acute bloating
usually die of strangulation through
inability to breathe with their COM
pressed lung tissue
The stock owner should guard
against the bloating of his cattle by
every precaution at his command.
Glover or other green vegetables, If
eaten when wet by dew or rain. seem
30 be especially liable to ferment be-
fore leaving the first stomach of the
animal that has fed upon them. Eat
ing excessive amounts of middlings
or corn meal will also cause blOating.
IT also occurs in cattle as a result
of becoming choked. The principal
cause. however, is overeating succu-
lent green forage, such as clover,
green corn or cabbage.
Change Feed Gradually
To prevent bloating in cattle, the
animals should be shifted by easy
stages, from dry or scanty feed to
abundant and luxuriantly growing
fodder They may be allowed to
feed from the good forage for only
three-quarters of an hour on the first
day they are given access to such
grazing. A full hour may be allow
ed on the second day, and by con-
tinued slow steps and gradually
heightened stay in the tempting feed,
the danger of loss from bloating will
be largely overcome.
But in case the first evidence of
too protracted stay in the heavy
growth of forage should be that the
owner notices one OF his animals with
sides dstended, and perhaps even
lifted above the level of the backbone,
he must act quickly. Removal of the
gas from the paunch will quickly
bring relief. If a veterinarian is
within redch he should be summoned
at once. If no surgeon is available
the owner should Immediately at
tempt to bring relief to his animal.
TrOcar and Method of Use
Many cattle owners keep a trocar
and canula constantly on hand and
thoroughly understand its use. The
trocar is a sharp-pointed rod provid-
ed with a metallic sheath or conula
which leaves the point of the trocar
exposed The spot to be selected for
inserting the trocar is point equally
distant from the last rib, the hip
bone, and the lateral bony projections
from the spine in the region of the
loins. Here small cut about three
fourths of an ipch long should be