ANIMAL HEALTH DISEASES THAT OCCUR DUE TO FAULTY FEEDING​

A. Bloat

·       Bloat Is A Form Of Indigestion Marked By Excessive Accumulation Of Gas In The Rumen.

·       Bloat Can Occur When The Animal Grazes On Lush Young Pasture, Particularly If The Pasture Is Wet. Some Plants, E.G. Clover, Lucerne And Alfalfa Are Especially Dangerous In Causing Bloat But Any Fast Growing Plants Can Cause It.

·       Choking Due To Foreign Objects (Esophageal Obstruction) Will Also Cause Bloat By Preventing Gas Release And Causing Accumulation Of Gas In The Rumen.

·       Sometimes Feeding Of Leftover Food Such As Dry Bread Can Cause Bloat.

Symptoms Of Bloat

·       The Left Flank Balloons Out.

·       The Animal Kicks Its Belly Or Stands With Its Back Legs Wide Apart.

·       It Has Difficulty In Breathing.

·       In Severe Cases, Death Occurs Due To Asphyxiation.

Prevention And Treatment

·       Avoid Moving Animals To Wet Pasture In The Morning.

·       Do Not Allow Very Hungry Animals To Graze A Pasture. Offer Dry, Cut Grass First Before Turning Out To Graze.

·       Home Remedies May Be Used In Mild Cases.

·       In Severe Cases, Puncturing The Left Flank With A Sharp Knife To Release The Gas Is Necessary, It Will Be Necessary For You To Act Quickly As Any Hesitation Could Lead To The Death Of The Animal.

Home Remedies For Adult Animals

·       Drench Coconut/Vegetable /Peanut Oil: 300-500ml Once A Day For 2-3 Days Till Recovery. Or;

·       Above Plus 30-40 Ml Turpentine Oil. Or;

·       Drench 1 Tablespoon Of Detergent In Half Liter Of Water Once. Or;

·       Feed 4-6 Banana Leaves (Mild Bloat)

B. Rumen Acidosis

·       May Be Clinical Or Subclinical.

·       Feeding Large Quantities Of Rapidly Digestible Carbohydrate In A Short Period Of Time Causes Clinical Acidosis.

·       In Severe Clinical Cases, Animals May Be Recumbent Within 24-48 Hours, Which May Resemble Cases Of Milk Fever. Animal May Not Urinate Or Pass Dung.

·       Sub-Clinical Acidosis Is Seen As A Result Of Feeding Increased Concentrates Compared To Forage.

·       In Sub-Clinical Acidosis There Is Reduced Feed Intake, Weight Loss, Unexplained Diarrhoea And Exhaustion. This May Also Lead To Laminitis And Lameness.

·       In Severe Clinical Cases, Prognosis May Not Be Good. Some Animals Though Appear To Improve, May Become Seriously Ill 3-4 Days Later.

Prevention And Treatment Of Acidosis

·       Proper Feeding Practices Should Be Adopted After Consulting A Veterinarian.

·       Animal Should Be Provided A Roughage Diet In The Mornings Before Feeding Concentrates So That Adequate Quantities Of Saliva Is Produced.

·       Never Provide The Animal With Large Quantities Of Rapidly Digestible Carbohydrates.

·       A Veterinarian Must Be Consulted Immediately In Case Of Clinical Acidosis.

C. Laminitis

·       Commonly Seen In Mature Dairy Cows During Peak Lactation, Often A Herd Issue.

·       Higher Concentrate/Protein, Low Forage, Mastitis, Metritis , Acidosis Etc. Predispose.

·       Occurs In Sub-Clinical, Acute And Chronic Form.

·       Rough Irregular Flooring , Lack Of Enough Lying Space Also Predispose To The Disease.

Prevention Of Laminitis

·       Provide Soft Flooring.

·       Provide Balanced Feed Which Includes Sufficient Forage.

·       Practice Foot Bath Using 5% Copper Sulphate For 2-4 Days Continuously Every Fortnight.

·       Arrange For Regular Hoof Trimming At Least Once In 6 Months.

·       Adequate Lying Space Should Be Provided To Avoid Excessive Standing.

·       Check Hoofs Regularly For Any Injury And Signs Of Laminitis.