The research will assess if current bloat prevention measures are sufficient in southern beef herds and what farmers need to fix the problem.
In order to get the project under way, Charles Sturt University needs as many producers and managers of beef herds to fill out a 10 to 15 minute survey.
The survey will provide researchers with a snapshot of current bloat knowledge among producers, how lethal the condition is, and what sort of pasture or crop producers are experiencing the most bloat risk from.
Involved in the project is the CSU's Fred Morley Centre and Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation.
CSU professor Bruce Allworth said the university had received a lot of inquiry about bloat from beef producers in the past two to three years.
“Feedback from producers indicates they have been losing cattle despite using preventive measures,” Prof Allworth said.
“We need to know the extent of the losses and see if we can identify any specific risk factors.”
CSU animal production lecturer Shawn McGrath is also conducting the study.
Dr McGrath said after the survey researchers will follow up with some bloat-prone producers to better understand what’s going on with their cows.
An early alert system is also in the works.
When asked if drought conditions had anything to do with the rise in bloat inquiries, Mr McGrath said it was “a possible hypothesis” as bare ground at the start of autumn results in better clover germination.
“However, the survey requests details of experiences in the last 12 months as this will be the freshest in the producers’ mind,” Dr McGrath said.
“But we are also keen to hear about producers’ experiences in other years and understand why there might be different risks between years.”
The survey can be completed online at: https://www.research.net/r/Bloat_survey
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