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Prevent Bloating While Alfalfa Grazing

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Alfalfa grazing is a popular practice for producers in the summer. Alfalfa is packed with nutrients and is one of the most efficient forages for promoting weight gain in cattle. However, a big problem with grazing alfalfa is the risk of bloating. Bloating happens suddenly and can be fatal to your animals. When grazing this type of forage you must adopt specific management practices to reduce the risk of bloating. In this article, we are sharing the best strategies to protect your cows from bloat in the pasture.

Timing

Timing is key to preventing bloat when introducing your cows to alfalfa. You will want to wait until mid-day to move your herd into a pasture with alfalfa for two reasons. The first reason is to ensure the plant is dry. When there is excess moisture, the soluble protein levels of the plant are high. When cows eat alfalfa at this time, their bodies may digest the proteins too fast causing gas bubbles to become trapped in their stomach. Waiting until the pasture is dry allows their stomachs to digest it more efficiently. This allows everything to pass through the body smoothly and decreases the chances of bloating.

The second reason you want to wait until mid-day to start your cattle on alfalfa is to reduce any risk of overconsumption. Typically, cows consume their largest portions of food in the morning and evening when it is cooler outside. Waiting to move your cattle prevents overeating and reduces the chance of bloating. It also encourages your cows to consume equal portion sizes throughout the day, allowing their bodies to digest their food properly.

Pasture Management

Adopting good pasture management practices is key to reducing the risk of bloat in your cattle. You need to know when the pasture is ready to graze and when to remove your cows from that pasture. Waiting until the plant is matured to the full bloom stage, or later, ensures the protein levels are not too high, greatly reducing the risk of bloat. You also want to avoid moving your cows to a new pasture right after a rain. At this time, the plant enters a rapid growth stage and the protein levels greatly increase. Have a backup pasture available with no alfalfa so you can move any animals that are experiencing early bloat symptoms.

Rotating your herd to a new pasture after 2-3 weeks of grazing is best to avoid the consumption of regrowth. With that, you want to remove your cows from the pasture before they completely eat down the forage. This prevents them from being too hungry and overeating when they are moved to a fresh pasture. Do not remove your cattle from a pasture with alfalfa once they are introduced unless bloating occurs. The key is to encourage them to consume even portions throughout the day. By constantly changing what your cows eat, you are increasing the chances of overconsumption when they are re-introduced to alfalfa. Mixing other grasses with alfalfa is a great strategy if you want them to have a more diverse diet, just make sure they are evenly consuming the other forages with the alfalfa.

Observation

You need to closely observe your cattle after moving them to a pasture with alfalfa. Some animals may experience mild bloat after the first few days of consumption, but it can usually be relieved with walking. If the bloating doesn’t go down, you should remove the affected animals immediately and reintroduce them at a later time. If you notice bloating in the majority of your herd, chances are you are grazing that pasture too early. Move your cows to your backup pasture and wait until the alfalfa is more mature before moving them back into that pasture.

While you should always be checking your animals for symptoms of bloating, there are times when you should be checking them more frequently. Your cattle are most susceptible to bloat at the beginning of their grazing season, after they have been moved to a new pasture, and immediately after a rain or frost.

Anti-Bloat Supplements

Anti-bloating supplements are an effective, but costly, method to prevent and relieve bloat in cattle. Adding anti-foaming supplements to feed the week before you expose your cows to alfalfa for the first time can greatly decrease their chances of bloating. Providing mineral or molasses blocks containing salt or other debloating supplements can reduce any mild bloating symptoms during grazing.

Adding anti-bloating supplements to your livestock’s water supply is another effective way to reduce the symptoms of pasture bloat. By providing the supplement in their water, you know that your entire herd is consuming it. For added convenience, you can install a HerdHand Monitor at the watering site. This will help you track the amount of supplement your cows have consumed and it will alert you when it is time to restock the trough with fresh water. Get in contact with a member of the FarmSimple team to learn more about monitoring the water supply in the pasture.

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Conclusion

Pasture bloat can be fatal to your cattle but with proper management practices, you can prevent it from happening. Moving your cattle at the right time, promoting uniform consumption, watching for symptoms of bloat, and adding supplements to their diet are all effective strategies for reducing the chances of bloating. If you see your cows are experiencing bloat while they are grazing alfalfa, remove them from the pasture immediately and re-evaluate your grazing strategy.

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