Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Canadian Veterinary Journal logoLink to The Canadian Veterinary Journal
. 1993 Apr;34(4):221–225.

Congenital spinal stenosis and dam mortality associated with feeding moldy cereal straw

Carl S Ribble, Eugene D Janzen, Cecil E Doige
PMCID: PMC1686419  PMID: 17424199

Abstract

We describe herein an epidemiological investigation of the cause of a syndrome of congenital spinal stenosis (CSS) in four beef herds in western Canada. Three of the herds were affected with the syndrome in 1987, the fourth was affected in 1990. The prevalence of CSS in affected groups of calves varied from 29% (16/55) to 100% (14/14). All affected calves had congenital posterior paralysis or paresis; some calves also had one or more of the following: shortened limbs, forelimb varus deformities, superior brachygnathia, and a dome-shaped cranium. Affected calves showed focal premature closure of axial and appendicular metaphyseal growth plates. At three of the four farms most of the pregnant cows were affected with alopecia with or without pruritus in January, and 25% of the cows in one herd died during the winter. The investigation indicated that CSS was associated with feeding moldy cereal straw to pregnant beef cows during the winter. At all four farms, the cereal straw bales were thoroughly soaked by rain prior to stacking, and obvious mold was present when they were broken open for feeding. Species of both Penicillium and Fusarium were abundant within the bales. The most likely cause of the disease was a fungal mycotoxicosis, although the mycotoxin responsible was not isolated.

Full text

PDF
222

Images in this article

223Figure 1.
on p.223
223Figure 2.
on p.223
223Figure 3.
on p.223

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bashey R. I., Leach R. M., Gay C. V., Jimenez S. A. Type X collagen in avian tibial dyschondroplasia. Lab Invest. 1989 Jan;60(1):106–112. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Doige C. E., Townsend H. G., Janzen E. D., McGowan M. Congenital spinal stenosis in beef calves in western Canada. Vet Pathol. 1990 Jan;27(1):16–25. doi: 10.1177/030098589002700103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Duff S. R., Burns R. B., Dwivedi P. Skeletal changes in broiler chicks and turkey poults fed diets containing ochratoxin A. Res Vet Sci. 1987 Nov;43(3):301–307. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Huff W. E., Kubena L. F., Harvey R. B., Doerr J. A. Mycotoxin interactions in poultry and swine. J Anim Sci. 1988 Sep;66(9):2351–2355. doi: 10.2527/jas1988.6692351x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Krogh P., Christensen D. H., Hald B., Harlou B., Larsen C., Pedersen E. J., Thrane U. Natural occurrence of the mycotoxin fusarochromanone, a metabolite of Fusarium equiseti, in cereal feed associated with tibial dyschondroplasia. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Dec;55(12):3184–3188. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.12.3184-3188.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kuiper-Goodman T., Scott P. M. Risk assessment of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A. Biomed Environ Sci. 1989 Sep;2(3):179–248. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mayura K., Edwards J. F., Maull E. A., Phillips T. D. The effects of ochratoxin A on postimplantation rat embryos in culture. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 1989 May-Jun;18(3):411–415. doi: 10.1007/BF01062366. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Morrissey R. E., Vesonder R. F. Teratogenic potential of the mycotoxin, citreoviridin, in rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 1986 Dec;24(12):1315–1320. doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(86)90064-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Müller H. M. Massnahmen zur Minderung von Mykotoxinbildung und -anreicherung in Futtermitteln. Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1989 Jul-Aug;96(7):363–368. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Orr J. P., McKenzie G. C. Unusual skeletal deformities in calves in a Saskatchewan beef herd. Can Vet J. 1981 May;22(5):121–125. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ribble C. S., Janzen E. D., Proulx J. G. Congenital joint laxity and dwarfism: A feed-associated congenital anomaly of beef calves in Canada. Can Vet J. 1989 Apr;30(4):331–338. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rousseaux C. G., Ribble C. S. Developmental Anomalies in Farm Animals: II. Defining Etiology. Can Vet J. 1988 Jan;29(1):30–40. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Speer M., Süssmuth R. Bacterial tests as indicators for the detoxification of the mycotoxin penicillic acid by ammonia treatment. Food Chem Toxicol. 1987 Jan;25(1):31–34. doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(87)90304-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Trenholm H. L., Prelusky D. B., Young J. C., Miller J. D. A practical guide to the prevention of Fusarium mycotoxins in grain and animal feedstuffs. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 1989 May-Jun;18(3):443–451. doi: 10.1007/BF01062372. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Canadian Veterinary Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

RESOURCES