An Emulsified Soybean Oil for Bloat Therapy

Abstract

Foaming of ruminal contents is becoming more generally accepted as the cause of pasture bloat in ruminants. An anti-foaming agent consisting of crude soybean oil and an emulsifler made from casein, anhydrous sodium carbonate, ethanol and water was used successfully in treating 90 of 95 serious cases of pasture bloat in cattle when administered by stomach tube. All of these were cases which could not be relieved by the stomach tube alone (without anti-foaming agent) but which responded promptly to treatment with the water-dispersible oil. Of the remaining cases, 4 responded to supplementary treatment with more of the same oil, and 1 died before initial treatment was completed. Seriously bloated lambs were drenched with 1 to 1.5 oz. of the product and all lambs thus treated (39) recovered promptly. The water-dispersible product seems to exert a more prompt effect than crude oil alone, and meets the criteria of rapid and effective action, low ingredient cost and lack of harmful side-effects.