Chronic ruminal bloat secondary to omasal laminae hypoplasia in two cattle

Two emaciated juvenile steers, one Normande and one Charolaise breed with abdominal distension, intermittent diarrhea and chronic ruminal bloat that had begun at weaning were necropsied. Absence of the omasal laminae with omasal hypoplasia were found together with loss of ruminal papillae and reticular folds. Based on the lesions and history we concluded that the ruminal bloat was due to a development failure of the omasum.