Bovine Surgery

The Rumen Fistula for Treatment of Chronic Bloat

Abstract

Bloat in feedlot cattle often fails to respond to medical therapy. Constant tubing of the bloated animal often leads to esophageal irritation which in itself may perpetuate the bloat condition. The chronic bloat animal is often a poor doer, either because of the underlying cause of the bloat, or because of the bloat itself which interferes with feed consumption. Also one must consider the economics of constant treatment and the possibility of sudden death. Considering these things one should consider surgical
methods of bloat relief in any case of bloat which fails to respond to 1-2 days of medical therapy. Often these are feedlot cattle which have recently been started on a high grain ration.