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Bloat in Cattle. III. Composition of Foam in Legume Bloat¹

Department of Dairy Husbandry Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas

ABSTRACT

Most investigators consider excessive foaming of rumen ingesta following consumption of legumes as the primary factor in the etiology of bloat. Cole and Boda (2) indicated divided opinion on what chemical substances cause foaming. Plant proteins, saponins, and pectic substances appear to be involved. Also, the slime produced by bacteria has been suggested as a factor in frothing of rumen ingesta. Head (4) observed that constituents responsible for foaming in cows eating clover and alfalfa were carbohydrate, the main constituents being the sugars normally found in the pectin and hemi-cellulose fractions of plants. Head stated: "This observation suggested that the foaming constituent appeared in solution in the rumen liquor after the plant had been physically broken down, and that it later disappeared, probably by the degrading action of the microorganisms."

Since results of studies at this station (1) suggested that microflora are involved in frothy bloat, and that bloat is not the result of simple physical breakdown of feed, further analyses of the froth might refine the relative importance of each of these factors.

¹ Contribution No. 294, Department of Dairy Husbandry, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Manhattan, Kansas.