Effects of alcohol ethoxylate and pluronic detergents on the development of pasture bloat in cattle and sheep

Citation
K. Stanford et al., Effects of alcohol ethoxylate and pluronic detergents on the development of pasture bloat in cattle and sheep, J DAIRY SCI, 84(1), 2001, pp. 167-176
Citations number
43
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science/Nutrition
Journal title
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
ISSN journal
00220302 → ACNP
Volume
84
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
167 - 176
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-0302(200101)84:1<167:EOAEAP>2.0.ZU;2-P
Abstract
A series of studies was conducted to determine the efficacy and possible mo des of action of a water-soluble mixture of alcohol ethoxylate and pluronic detergents (AEPD; Blocare 4511, ANCARE, Auckland., NZ) in preventing pastu re bloat in ruminants grazing or fed freshly harvested alfalfa. Ten cannula ted Suffolk wethers were offered freshly harvested alfalfa; five were given a daily intraruminal dose of 40 ml of 50% AEPD (vol/vol) Ih 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. Treat ment with AEPD did not affect dry matter (DM) intake, digestibility of DM, acid detergent fiber, or neutral detergent fiber, or N digestion and retent ion, implying that AEPD likely would not affect milk production. In a cross over 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 stud ies were conducted with cattle in Lethbridge, AB; Lacombe, AB; and Kamloops , BC. Treated animals received AEPD in the water (0.06%, vol/vol) and graze d vegetative alfalfa for 6 h daily. As it did with sheep, AEPD treatment ef fectively precluded the bloat observed in control animals. Consequently, AE PD may be a valuable tool for alfalfa pasture-based dairy production althou gh further study is required to develop an integrated model for optimal adm inistration under a variety of climatic conditions.