Nutritional Diseases in Livestock Kirsti Whitmyre,

Objectives Students will know… Common nutritional diseases Causes and symptoms Treatment and prevention http://www2.dupont.com/animal-nutrition-disease-prevention/en-us/sites/default/files/AnimalNutrition%20PCG%20Hero2_1100x290.jpg

Importance of Animal Nutrition A consistent feed regime is critical to prevent nutritional diseases Diseased stock can put economic success of enterprise in danger Deficiencies and toxicities can damage livestock before they are detected Must monitor feeds and resources closely

Main Causes of Nutritional Diseases Too little feed Deficiency in one or more nutrients Forced production Feed produced on leached or depleted soils Increase in confinement of animals

Check For Understanding What are 2 of the 3 main categories of nutritional disease?

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases Osteomalacia (Rickets) Causes: Inadequate vitamin D Incorrect ratio of calcium: phosphorus Symptoms: Lack of appetite, weight loss Enlarged or stiff joints, bowed legs

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases Osteomalacia (Rickets) Treatment: Limited once animal shows symptoms Mineral/Vitamin supplements may help Prevention: Balanced feed rations, properly fertilized crops Animals have access to direct sunlight

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases Stiff-Lamb Disease (White Muscle Disease) Causes: Deficiency or imbalance of vitamin E or selenium Symptoms: Humped or "roached" back Stiff, stilted way of moving Inhalation pneumonia in lambs

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases Stiff-Lamb Disease (White Muscle Disease) Treatment: Vitamin E/selenium injections if caught early Selenium supplements Prevention: Vitamin E/selenium injections at docking time Vitamin E/selenium injections at 2-4 weeks of age

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases Night Blindness (Xerophthalmia) Causes: Vitamin A intake is too low Symptoms: Faulty night vision Rough hair coat Severe scours Stunted growth

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases Night Blindness (Xerophthalmia) Treatment: Add vitamin A to diet or give vitamin A injections Prevention: Provide good sources of vitamin A Green pasture, yellow corn, fresh cured alfalfa

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Milk Fever Causes: Low blood calcium concentration Symptoms: Loss of appetite, constipation soon after calving Nervousness, loss of consciousness Head turned/twisted toward shoulder http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/14437/Pictures%20Library/Milk%20fever%20-%20حمى%20اللبن.bmp

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Milk Fever Treatment: Administering calcium salts intravenously Prevention: Diet with proper phosphorus: calcium (ratio) Lower dietary calcium 2 weeks before calving High Vitamin D ration 5 days before calving http://cnx.org/content/m18765/1.1/graphics1.jpg

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Milk Fever Video Click HERE if video does not play

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Anemia Causes: Iron or copper deficiency, parasites Symptoms: Loss of appetite, emaciation in suckling young Rough hair coat, pale membranes Swelling in head and shoulders

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Anemia Treatment: Iron injections Prevention: Providing balanced feeds to young Iron Dextran solution injection (piglets)

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Goiter Causes: Failure to obtain enough iodine from thyroid gland Symptoms: Thyroid gland swells, “big neck” Reproductive failures Hairless piglets, weak foals

Mineral Deficiency Diseases Goiter Treatment: Not effective once symptoms appear Prevention: Feeding iodized salts Rare disease http://farm1.static.flickr.com/217/477506325_201d03135e.jpg

Toxicity Diseases Selenium Poisoning Causes: Symptoms: Plants grown on soil with high selenium Symptoms: Loss of tail hair (cattle) Loss of body hair (swine) Loss of mane & tail, hooves slough off (horses)

Toxicity Diseases Selenium Poisoning Treatment: Prevention: Not practical in advanced cases Prevention: Pasture rotation

Toxicity Diseases Urinary Calculi Causes: Symptoms: High intake of potassium High calcium: low phosphorus (ratio) High Silica content Symptoms: Frequent attempts to urinate, pain, renal colic Usually seen only in males http://www.danekeclublambs.com/files/urinary_calculi_1.jpg

Toxicity Diseases Urinary Calculi Treatment: Prevention: Limited success, for valuable animals only Ammonium chloride and salt added to diet, remove alfalfa Surgical removal– may leave males sterile Prevention: Avoid high phosphorus or high calcium diets Delayed castration http://img.tfd.com/vet/thumbs/gr403.jpg

Toxicity Diseases Nitrate Poisoning Causes: Symptoms: Feed high in nitrates Sudan grass, oat hay, corn stalks, barley forage Stressed plants, surface runoff Symptoms: Accelerated pulse and respiration Diarrhea, frequent urination, blue mucous membranes http://beefmagazine.com/site-files/beefmagazine.com/files/imagecache/medium_img/uploads/2012/11/cornstalks.jpg

Toxicity Diseases Nitrate Poisoning Treatments: Prevention: Intravenous solution of methylene blue or sodium sulfate Prevention: Feeding high levels of grains and molasses Feeding ensiled forages high in nitrates (during ensiling nitrates turn to gas) http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2302/2289588918_a5210ff1bc.jpg

Check for Understanding What are 3 of the 5 main causes of nutritional diseases?

Related Careers Animal Nutrition is important in the following careers: Animal dietician, animal nutritionist Veterinarian, veterinary technician Livestock producer http://work.chron.com/animal-nutrition-careers-2126.html

Related SAE Projects Raising or Breeding: Beef Swine Dairy Sheep Horses Goats http://www2.dupont.com/animal-nutrition-disease-prevention/en-us/sites/default/files/AnimalNutrition%20PCG%20Hero2_1100x290.jpg

Check for Understanding Why is understanding how to properly feed an animal important in preventing nutritional diseases in livestock?

References All images with no citation beneath them are from the Animal Science Image Gallery: http://anscigallery.nal.usda.gov/index.php CLF3156: http://calaged.csuchico.edu/resourcefiles/curriculum/advcl uster/3156.txt