Time for bloat to occur

Bkpigs · Oct 9, 2018

I am trying something new this year. I am taking my weaned beef steer and trying to blend him into my Holstein steers. Just moved him to his own pasture last night and gave him about 1# of grain with some little bluestem (very stiff and stalky) hay. Gave him another pound this morning and evening with hay and also there is grass available.
My question is, I fed him about 4 hours ago and he doesn't look bloated. His left side is slightly larger but not at the top, nicely through the center like he just had a healthy meal. How long after he eats grain does the risk of bloat stop? I am trying to get him to full feed. Just wanting to sleep a little easier.

ADB-Ia · Oct 9, 2018

Ive always weaned calves on one pound of grain per one hundred pounds weight per day and never had a problem. Then increase gradually over several months. I like to get beef
calves up to 7-800 pounds before putting them on full feed of corn or they will fatten too early. Bloat is most often related to eating legumes particularly rapidly growing alfalfa.

caterpillar guy · Oct 10, 2018

If weaning you're not giving enough feed to be a bloat problem. As ADB-IA said usually bloat goes with roughage like grass ,hay and such more so with legumes. If you think you have a problem there are several treatments for it. One is to put a hose in to the stomach to vent gas out,Pour some ginger and water down them, Soda and water. We used both of the last methods with the ginger working the best most of the time. You will need to watch them for a few hours after dosing to monitor condition. Might have to repeat the ginger if it is a severe bloat issue.

Bkpigs · Oct 10, 2018

Thanks for the input. I have dealt with bloat before, just curious how long after eating too many choices grain will it be before the bloat starts?

The steer is doing g great by the way.

ADB-Ia · Oct 10, 2018

I think you are worrying needlessly especially since bloat is very unpredictable. As I said before, bloat is generally not attributed to consumption of grain. The rumen in the calf's
digestive tract is basically a fermentation vat that is continuously active producing gasses in the process which the calf can usually pass without bloat problems. Grain passes through
the rumen rather quickly and seldom causes a bloat condition. Forages stay in the rumen longer but usually don't cause a problem unless they produce a high volume of gas during
fermentation as is more common with legume forages.

MJMJ · Oct 11, 2018

Too much grain is more likely to cause acidosis than bloat, but even at that, 1 lb is nowhere near enough to cause a problem. Though where to start him will depend on his size. If he's recently weaned, he really isn't old enough to be on full feed. I don't start mine until a year or so, or a few months before butchering.

Time for bloat to occur

Bkpigs

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Bkpigs

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MJMJ

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