Cows of different age and breed and 48 in numbers were taken for this trail. Clinically presented for bloat due to different etiology. No control maintained on ethical base. All the 48 were orally given the drench of Arachis hypogaea, Zingiber officinale and cardamom. Then they were made to ruminate with buccal commissure manipulation. 44 animals recovered successfully and found 91% effective.

Introduction

Bloat, a most acute common condition seen in field cattle. If not taken care of at time, it may turn fatal. In this paper is advocated an effective ethno-veterinary treatment.

Material and Method

Fourty eight cows in remote villages differing in age and breed were taken into this trial. All were clinically presented for left lateral abdominal enlargement due to various underlying causes. Clinically diagnosed as peracute to subacute, frothy or free gas bloat. No control group maintained on ethicak base. They were treated using Arachis hypogaea (peanut), Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom).

Treatment

All cows were drenched with mixture of Arachis hypogaea oil 500 ml, Zingiber officinale juice 100 ml and Elettaria cardamomum powder 50 gm. Then they are made to ruminate by manipulating their buccal commissure.

Result

Forty four cows recovered from the bloat with eructation and/ or purgation within 1 to 2 hours of drenching and manipulating as above.

Discussion

Bloat is a digestive disorder characterized by accumulation of gas in the ruminant stomach. The gas is usually discharged by eructation but if the animal is unable to remove excess gas pressure builds up in the rumen-reticulum, which exerts pressure on diaphragm and prevents the animal from inhaling and bloat occurs. Death, due to restricted breathing and heart failure follows unless treated.

Below discussed properties served as basis of the effective treatment followed in this trial.

Arachis hypogaea is a tonic, laxative and anti-oxidant [1]. Ginger as a purgative indicated for bloat in combination Epsom salts, turpentine and warm water [2]. Medicinally, cardamom oil is often employed as an adjuvant or corrective of tonic, carminative and purgative preparations [3].

Conclusions

The treatment as above proved 91% effective against bloat in cattle, hence advocated.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank to cattle owners, siddha practitioners, veterinarians and para-veterinarians for their kind support.

1. James A Duke. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. 2 nd ed., LLC: CRC Press; 2002: 560.
2. Baker AH. Diseases of Cattle - How to Know Them; Their Causes, Prevention and Cure - Containing Extracts from Livestock for the Farmer and Stock Owner. Read Books Ltd; 2013.
3. Rekha Singhal, Pushpa R Kulkarni, Dinanath Rege. Handbook of indices of food quality and authenticity. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing; 1997: 397. https://bit.ly/35BeSw9