Effects of alcohol ethoxylate and pluronic detergents on the development of pasture bloat in cattle and sheep.
A series of studies was conducted to determine the efficacy and possible modes of action of a water-soluble mixture of alcohol ethoxylate and pluronic detergents (AEPD; Blocare 4511, ANCARE, Auckland, NZ) in preventing pasture bloat in ruminants grazing or fed freshly harvested alfalfa. Ten cannulated Suffolk wethers were offered freshly harvested alfalfa; five were given a daily intraruminal dose of 40 ml of 50% AEPD (vol/vol) 1 h before feeding, and five (controls) were dosed with water. Viscosity of ruminal fluid was reduced (P < 0.001) in AEPD-treated wethers, relative to the controls, for the first 2 h after feeding but not at 4 h after feeding and beyond. Treatment with AEPD did not affect dry matter (DM) intake, digestibility of DM, acid detergent fiber, or neutral detergent fiber, or N digestion and retention, implying that AEPD likely would not affect milk production. In a crossover grazing study, five of the wethers were given AEPD in drinking water (0.1%, vol/vol); treatment with AEPD was 100% effective for preventing bloat in sheep grazing early-bloom alfalfa for 4 h daily. Replicate grazing studies were conducted with cattle in Lethbridge, AB; Lacombe, AB; and Kamloops, BC. Treated animals received AEPD in the water (0.06%, vol/vol) and grazed vegetative alfalfa for 6 h daily. As it did with sheep, AEPD treatment effectively precluded the bloat observed in control animals. Consequently, AEPD may be a valuable tool for alfalfa pasture-based dairy production although further study is required to develop an integrated model for optimal administration under a variety of climatic conditions.
Stanford
K
K
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Lethbridge, Canada.
Wang
Y
Y
Berg
B P
BP
Majak
W
W
McCartney
D H
DH
Baron
V
V
McAllister
T A
TA
D000438:Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004063:Digestion; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014783:Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects
D000438:Alcohols; D020442:Poloxamer; D009584:Nitrogen