This fermentation process continually produces gas, the majority of which is expelled from the rumen by eructation (burping).
[4] In feedlot cattle, a diet containing a high proportion of cereal grain can lead to primary ruminal tympany.
[5] The main signs of bloat in cattle are distension of the left side of the abdomen, dyspnea (difficulty breathing) and severe distress.
If gas continues to accumulate, the right side of the abdomen may also become distended, with death occurring in cattle within 3–4 hours after symptoms begin.
[1] In free-gas bloat (secondary ruminal tympany), gas builds up in the rumen and cannot escape, due to blockage of the esophagus.