Abstract
A retrospective study was performed on 46 abomasotomies in young beef calves. Clinical abomasal disease in the herds under investigation had an average incidence of 1.0% for the year of the study. The range in incidence among herds was 0.2-5.7%. In 80% (37/46) of abomasal surgeries, abomasal ulcers were found. In 76% (35/46) of the cases, hair was present in the abomasum. These findings indicate that there could be a link between abomasal ulcers and the ingestion of hair by young beef calves.
Housing appeared to be a significant factor in relation to the relative risk of abomasal disease. Calves housed in pens or on stubble fields were nearly three times as likely to receive surgery for abomasal disease than were those housed on pasture.
The results also indicated that mineral supplements may be helpful in reducing the incidence of abomasal disease.
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