Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses
Abstract Background In a project to determine the causes of winter mortality in reindeer in Finnmark County, northern Norway, the most frequent diagnosis turned out to be complete emaciation, despite several of the reindeer having been given silage for up to 4 weeks before they died. The present pap...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e29c1e8f43754037bb2daea0388436fd 2023-05-15T16:13:45+02:00 Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses Mørk Torill Sørensen Karen K Josefsen Terje D Mathiesen Svein D Ryeng Kathrine A 2007-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-49-27 https://doaj.org/article/e29c1e8f43754037bb2daea0388436fd EN eng BMC http://www.actavetscand.com/content/49/1/27 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-0147 doi:10.1186/1751-0147-49-27 1751-0147 https://doaj.org/article/e29c1e8f43754037bb2daea0388436fd Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Vol 49, Iss 1, p 27 (2007) Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 article 2007 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-49-27 2022-12-31T01:43:29Z Abstract Background In a project to determine the causes of winter mortality in reindeer in Finnmark County, northern Norway, the most frequent diagnosis turned out to be complete emaciation, despite several of the reindeer having been given silage for up to 4 weeks before they died. The present paper describes autopsy results and other findings in these animals. Methods Autopsies were made of 32 reindeer carcasses, and 28 of these were diagnosed as completely emaciated based on lack of visible fat and serous atrophy of subepicardial and bone marrow fat. Other investigations of the carcasses included histology, bacteriology, parasitology (counting of macro parasites and faecal egg counting), analysis of vitamin E and selenium in liver, chemical and botanical analysis of rumen content, analysis of lipid content in femur bone marrow and estimation of muscle atrophy by use of a muscle index. Results Main findings were: Low carcass weight, severe muscle atrophy, hemosiderosis in liver and spleen, subcutaneous oedema (18%) and effusions to body cavities (18%). Two types of lipofuscin granula were identified in the liver: One type occurred in liver endothelial cells of all carcasses, while the other type occurred in hepatocytes, and prevailed in adult animals. Abomasal haemorrhages, consistent with previously described stress lesions, was present in 68% of the carcasses. Diarrhoea occurred in 2 cases, and loose faecal consistency was associated with silage feeding. Rumen content was low in crude protein. Grass dominated rumen content in silage-fed carcasses, while reindeer on natural pastures had mainly woody plants, mosses and litter in rumen. Stem dominated the grass fraction in rumens with high grass content, indicating ruminal indigestion as a cause of emaciation in silage fed animals. Some cases had heavy infestation of parasites such as warble fly larvae ( Hypoderma tarandi ), throat bot larvae ( Cephenemyiae trompe ) and lung nematodes. Conclusion Lack of appropriate amounts and/or appropriate quality of feed ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Finnmark Northern Norway Rangifer tarandus Finnmark Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Norway Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 49 1 |
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topic |
Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 |
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Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Mørk Torill Sørensen Karen K Josefsen Terje D Mathiesen Svein D Ryeng Kathrine A Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
topic_facet |
Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 |
description |
Abstract Background In a project to determine the causes of winter mortality in reindeer in Finnmark County, northern Norway, the most frequent diagnosis turned out to be complete emaciation, despite several of the reindeer having been given silage for up to 4 weeks before they died. The present paper describes autopsy results and other findings in these animals. Methods Autopsies were made of 32 reindeer carcasses, and 28 of these were diagnosed as completely emaciated based on lack of visible fat and serous atrophy of subepicardial and bone marrow fat. Other investigations of the carcasses included histology, bacteriology, parasitology (counting of macro parasites and faecal egg counting), analysis of vitamin E and selenium in liver, chemical and botanical analysis of rumen content, analysis of lipid content in femur bone marrow and estimation of muscle atrophy by use of a muscle index. Results Main findings were: Low carcass weight, severe muscle atrophy, hemosiderosis in liver and spleen, subcutaneous oedema (18%) and effusions to body cavities (18%). Two types of lipofuscin granula were identified in the liver: One type occurred in liver endothelial cells of all carcasses, while the other type occurred in hepatocytes, and prevailed in adult animals. Abomasal haemorrhages, consistent with previously described stress lesions, was present in 68% of the carcasses. Diarrhoea occurred in 2 cases, and loose faecal consistency was associated with silage feeding. Rumen content was low in crude protein. Grass dominated rumen content in silage-fed carcasses, while reindeer on natural pastures had mainly woody plants, mosses and litter in rumen. Stem dominated the grass fraction in rumens with high grass content, indicating ruminal indigestion as a cause of emaciation in silage fed animals. Some cases had heavy infestation of parasites such as warble fly larvae ( Hypoderma tarandi ), throat bot larvae ( Cephenemyiae trompe ) and lung nematodes. Conclusion Lack of appropriate amounts and/or appropriate quality of feed ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mørk Torill Sørensen Karen K Josefsen Terje D Mathiesen Svein D Ryeng Kathrine A |
author_facet |
Mørk Torill Sørensen Karen K Josefsen Terje D Mathiesen Svein D Ryeng Kathrine A |
author_sort |
Mørk Torill |
title |
Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
title_short |
Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
title_full |
Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
title_fullStr |
Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fatal inanition in reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
title_sort |
fatal inanition in reindeer ( rangifer tarandus tarandus ): pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-49-27 https://doaj.org/article/e29c1e8f43754037bb2daea0388436fd |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
Finnmark Northern Norway Rangifer tarandus Finnmark |
genre_facet |
Finnmark Northern Norway Rangifer tarandus Finnmark |
op_source |
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Vol 49, Iss 1, p 27 (2007) |
op_relation |
http://www.actavetscand.com/content/49/1/27 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-0147 doi:10.1186/1751-0147-49-27 1751-0147 https://doaj.org/article/e29c1e8f43754037bb2daea0388436fd |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-49-27 |
container_title |
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica |
container_volume |
49 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1765999600993304576 |