Sarah’s tips for preventing bloat

• Add a probiotic of a nongas producing bacteria (eg Bifidobacterium animalis – avoid using acidophilus yogurt) to milk. Also a good option if an animal has had antibiotics, to help repopulate the gut with 'good' bacteria.

• Yogurtise milk to reduce the risk of abomasal bloat – note, it's safe to use acidophilus yoghurt in this process.

• Mimic the ewe: keep feeds small and frequent, and wean by reducing the volume and number of feeds.

• Practice good hand-rearing techniques: be hygienic, feed milk at the right temperature, don't have the teat opening too big (so milk doesn't come out too fast).

• Vaccinate early, using a broadspectrum vaccine. Newer 10-in-1 vaccines cover some bacterial species that may cause bloat.