Congenital chondrodystrophy of calves in Scotland

Abstract

A distant congenital anomaly of calves within the Scottish beef herd was identified by Scottish Agricultural College Veterinary Services before 1985. The condition involved primarily head and limb abnormalities, due to chondrodystrophy, with a wide range in severity within herds. Similar problems have been described in beef calves in Canada and more recently the Republic of Ireland. Outbreaks appear to be linked in some way to silage feeding. To date the etiology of these outbreaks remains undetermined. This paper includes a brief clinical and pathological description of the condition as seen in Scottish herds, outlines the suspected extent of the problem, speculates on the potential cost to the industry and makes a preliminary report of the findings from a project which tested the hypothesis that manganese deficiency, acting as an independent factor. The need for further research into the relationship between silage manganese and bone manganese levels in the fetus is highlighted.