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Polioencephalomalacia in cattle: a consequence of prolonged feeding barley malt
sprouts.
J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2006 Apr;53(3):123-8.
Kul O, Karahan S, Basalan M, Kabakci N.
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kirikkale University,
71451 Yahsihan, Kirikkale, Turkey.
Polioencephalomalacia (PEM) in ruminants has been recognized as a consequence
of excess sulphur intake. The present study describes clinical, gross and
histopathological findings of PEM following an abrupt change of diet in two
ranches housing 2750 dairy and 2300 beef cattle. As a result of severe PEM,
256 cattle died or were slaughtered. Clinical findings included circling,
hypersensitivity, excessive salivation, hypermetria, incoordination, blindness
and death. The first clinical signs occurred in beef calves (6-8 months old) at
a holding facility. Clinical signs of the disorder continued intermittently
during the 5-month period in both ranches and were more evident in calves and
lactating dairy cows. The affected cattle did not respond to thiamine
injections. Clinical signs disappeared gradually following removal of barley
malt sprouts from the diet. Although macroscopic lesions were not apparent in
the brain tissues of some animals, histopathology typical of PEM was found in
most cases: spongiosis in the neuropil and neuronal necrosis, haemorrhage,
capillary hyperplasia, fibrinoid degeneration in arterioles, multifocal
liquefaction necroses in the grey matter and abundance of gitter cells with
vacuolar large cytoplasm. Sulphide in rumen fluid of a clinically affected
animal was measured as 1.55 mg/dl, which is considerably higher than that
collected from two control cows (mean 0.21 mg/dl). The total sulphur content of
the diet containing barley malt sprouts was estimated to be 0.45%, which is also
higher than the National Research Council (NRC) maximum tolerable levels. In
conclusion, PEM can result from excess barley malt sprout intake because of its
higher sulphur content. Clinical signs may occur shortly after the intake of
barley malt sprout as outbreaks with a higher number of deaths or as an ongoing
periodic condition.
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