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Effectiveness and Practicability of some Oils, Penicillin, n-Decyl Alcohol, and Lecithin in the Control of Alfalfa Bloat¹

Iowa State College, Ames

Abstract

In one series of trials, 36 steers on alfalfa pasture received various prophylactic agents in dry feed before grazing twice daily or in water. Soybean oil, lard oil. and lecithin mixed with soybean oil greatly reduced bloat for several hours when fed at the rate of 0.25 lb., or more, per animal in the grain at each feeding or at the rate of 2% in the drinking water. Feeding oil or oil-lecithin mixtures increased weight gains appreciably, ranging from 0.07 to 0.75 lb. per animal per day for the various oil treatments. Penicillin (75 mg. per animal daily) reduced bloat for nine days, but subsequently its effectiveness diminished rapidly. Increasing the penicillin to 125 mg. reduced bloat for a period of two days, after which bloat incidence increased sharply. Animals receiving penicillin gained 0.44 lb. per day more than controls.

In another series of trials, 22 dairy animals received chopped alfalfa soilage. Crude soybean oil sprinkled on the soilage at a level of approximately 0.25 lb. per 1000 lb. body weight of animal per day effectively controlled bloat. The effect of n-decyl alcohol was of too short duration for satisfactory prophylaxis.

Lard oil and n-decyl alcohol administered intraruminally were successful in relieving very severe cases of bloat, apparently by breaking the foam and releasing large quantities of free gas in a short time. The lard oil was the more satisfactory because of ease of administration and promptness and1 duration of effect.

¹ Journal Paper No. J-3388 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1267. Supported in part by funds provided by Regional Project NC-27.