The risk of bloat was also
substantially reduced when cattle grazed alfalfa
continuously than when grazing was interrupted and
cattle were allowed to graze for only 6 h daily (Table
2). Though statistical significance was not reached ( P
= .14), ruminal chlorophyll was lower under the
24-h regimen than under the 6-h regimen (W. Majak,
unpublished data). These results agree with earlier
studies on feeding regimens that showed a much lower
incidence of bloat when alfalfa herbage (50 kg fresh
weight-animal-l.d-l) was fed once a day than when it
was fed twice a day for short periods in the morning
(30 kg) and afternoon (20 kg) (Majak and Hall,
1990). One can envision an increasing probability of
bloat with the following regimens: continuous (24 h)
grazing; 6-h grazing or feeding once per day; 1 to 3 h
grazing or feeding twice per day.