112 FOEAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



100. Bloating or hoven, Ruminant animals are often 

 subject to bloating when pastured on such crops as alfalfa, 

 red clover or rape. Sainfoin and lespedeza are said 

 never to cause bloating, but most succulent legumes will 

 probably cause the trouble. 



Among the prevention measures that have been sug- 

 gested are the following : 



1. Do not turn the cattle into the pasture when it is 

 wet with dew or rain, or the cattle very hungry. 



2. In pasturing rape have an abundance of salt avail- 

 able to the animals. 



3. Have a supply of hay or straw or a grass pasture 

 available to the animals. It is said they will instinctively 

 turn to the grass or hay when bloat threatens. 



Should bloating occur, several remedies are usually 

 at hand which will afford material relief. A large bit, 

 the diameter of a pitchfork handle, may be tied in the 

 mouth ; a piece of rubber tubing may be passed through 

 the mouth to the first stomach; or, as a last resort, the 

 animal may be tapped to allow the escape of gas. For 

 this purpose a trocar, such as is used by veterinary sur- 

 geons, is best ; but in the absence of this, a small-bladed 

 knife may be used to make the incision about 6 inches 

 in front of and slightly below the left hip bone. A straw 

 or quill may be used to permit the escape of gas. Care 

 should be taken not to allow the straw or quill to work 

 down out of sight into the incision. 



