A Preliminary report on a laminitis-like condition occurring in bulls under feeding trials

Abstract

Each year over three hundred bulls enter the Saskatoon Feed testing station and each year about forty percent of the group meet the standards set for food conversion, back fat thickness and testicular circumference. Of these successful bulls up to twenty five percent are rejected by “evaluators” on the basis of unsound conformation. In October of 1985 we were asked to evaluate the ‘’feet and legs” of bulls undergoing feeding trials.

Our assignment, therefore, was to define, in objective terms the reasons for the culling.

Because it had been suggested that poor limb and hoof conformation was likely to be an important consideration our initial efforts were directed towards developing a system for measuring the conformation of the bulls under trial.