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Clinical and pathological findings associated with congenital hypovitaminosis A in extensively grazed beef cattle

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Hill, B.D., Holroyd, R.G. and Sullivan, M. T. (2009) Clinical and pathological findings associated with congenital hypovitaminosis A in extensively grazed beef cattle. Australian Veterinary Journal, 87 (3). pp. 94-98.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2009.00398.x

Publisher URL: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/home

Abstract

To determine the cause of exceptionally high mortality (41.4%) in perinatal calves on a beef cattle property 50 km south-west of Julia Creek in north-western Queensland. Investigations were based on clinical assessment of affected calves and laboratory analysis of pre- and postmortem specimens taken from 12 calves aged from 6 to 36 h of age. Associations between gross and histopathological findings and biochemical analyses conducted on serum and tissue samples were examined in relation to clinical observations. Clinical signs varied, but commonly included mild to severe ataxia, difficulty finding a teat and sucking, blindness (partial or complete, as judged by avoidance of obstacles) and depression with prominent drooping of the head. Gross and histopathological findings included herniation of the cerebellar vermis through the foramen magnum, squamous metaplasia of interlobular ducts in the parotid salivary glands and Wallerian degeneration of the optic nerves. Biochemical analysis of serum and liver samples available from four of the calves revealed low or undetectable levels of both vitamin A and vitamin E. Although vitamin E is known to have a sparing effect on vitamin A, the role (if any) played by deficiency of this vitamin was uncertain. The combination of clinical signs, postmortem findings, histopathological features and biochemical findings indicate that gestational vitamin A deficiency was highly likely to have been an important contributor to perinatal calf mortalities in this herd.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Animal Science
Additional Information:© Australian Veterinary Association.
Keywords:Beef cattle; Hypovitaminosis A; Vitamin A.
Subjects:Animal culture > Cattle
Veterinary medicine
Animal culture > Feeds and feeding. Animal nutrition
Live Archive:14 Apr 2009 07:02
Last Modified:04 Nov 2022 04:24

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