Reasons for bloat

12 October 2001

Reasons for bloat

A HIGH potassium to sodium ratio could be the cause of bloat in cattle grazing red clover swards, believes Somerset vet Stephen Turner.

When some of his dairy cows suffered bloat this summer, he learnt that another herd eliminated the need to drench cows twice a day for bloat by correcting this imbalance in the field.

Mr Turner tested the theory by applying salt to red clover pasture to increase the sodium content. No further cases of bloat were seen.

However, he is unwilling to recommend applying salt to pasture to control bloat, as there are no scientific studies to support the practice.