Abstract
Twelve ruminally cannulated Holstein steers were used to determine the effect of monensin (0, 20, 30, and 40 g/ton) on grain bloat. Steers were fed a bloat-provocative, high-grain diet at 1% of body weight twice daily. Monensin premix was added directly to individual steers diets at the time of feeding. The severity of bloat was scored daily on a scale of 0 (no bloat) to 5 (severe bloat). The scoring was based on the degree of frothiness and abdominal distention. Bloat scores (mean of wk 2, 3, and 4) were lower (P<.0l) for monensin-fed steers than for the controls. The mean bloat scores were 1.43, 1.18, 1.00, and .93 for 0, 20, 30 and 40 g/ton monensin, respectively. Total gas production during in vitro ruminal fermentation tended to be higher (P=.12) for control than for monensin-fed steers. Ruminal pH and total volatile fatty acid concentrations were unaffected by treatment. Monensin decreased frothy bloat caused by the bloat-provocative diet, and the degree of control appeared to be greater with higher levels of monensin.
Highlights
Bloat continues to be of concern to the feedlot industry because of reduced animal performance and death loss and is considered to be the major cause of digestive deaths in the feedlot
Twelve ruminally cannulated Holstein steers were used to determine the effect of monensin (0, 20, 30, and 40 g/ton) on grain bloat
Monensin premix was added directly to individual steers diets at the time of feeding
Summary
Bloat continues to be of concern to the feedlot industry because of reduced animal performance and death loss and is considered to be the major cause of digestive deaths in the feedlot. Feedlots have utilized several management techniques to control digestive death loss from bloat. Monensin (Rumensinfi ) has been used to reduce grain bloat in feedlot cattle. A study conducted by researchers at Eli Lilly involving 988 Holstein steers in a commercial feedlot showed that 40 g/ton of monensin was more beneficial in reducing the incidence of digestive deaths than 30 g/ton (Table 1). The reduction in digestive death loss may have been due to more effective control of grain bloat. The objective of our study was to determine the effect of monensin (0, 20, 30, and 40 g/ton on a 90% dry matter basis) on frothy bloat in cattle fed a high-grain diet
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