Be aware of diseases causing death and their key necropsy findings

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4.4 Step 4. Complete a Daily Health Report noting morbidity cases, rates and predisposing factors

Useful information about diseases and conditions on board can be made from the observations by stockmen and veterinarians that contribute to daily voyage reports, and by daily monitoring of the number and type of cattle occupying hospital pens and the amounts of different types of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs administered. It is very important to gather epidemiological information about diseases including information about the affected animals and about the population of animals at risk all animals on the ship. At the end of each day complete the Daily Health Report with the following information: 1. Estimate of number and percentage of cattle observed affected with the different suspected diseasesconditions. 2. For each disease condition observed, record:  what typeclass of animal is the disease condition mostly occurring in and what typeclass of animals seem to be spared.  where on the ship the condition is mostly occurring and where it is not occurring  when was the onset of the disease condition 3. For each disease condition observed, record the suspected:  animal factors that are suspected to be predisposing and protective  management factors that appear to be predisposing or protective  environmental factors that appear to be predisposing or protective 5 Investigation of dead cattle This section of the handbook provides information to guide investigation cause of death in cattle exported by sea. It contains procedures for investigating the cause of death including necropsy examination, sample collection and identification of predisposing factors. It also contains terminology and descriptions for common diseases and conditions causing death in live export cattle. The information in this handbook is designed to complement the existing Stockman’s Handbook - Transport of Cattle by Sea. 14

5.1 Preparations for necropsy

5.1.1 Be aware of diseases causing death and their key necropsy findings

Table 5.1 shows a list of common diseases and conditions associated with mortalities in cattle aboard ships and what to look for at necropsy. 14 Stockman’s handbook – transport of cattle by sea, short and long haul voyages. Ross Ainsworth. LiveCorp. April 2008 30 Table 5.1: Diseases and conditions causing mortality on cattle ships and the key necropsy findings DiseaseCondition Key necropsy findings Abomasal or intestinal torsion  Discoloured, distended viscera with twist palpable at root Blackleg  Blackened muscle tissue in heart or skeletal muscles or both  gas under skin of upper legs or back Bleeding abomasal ulcer  Deep ulcer in abomasal lining  White mucous membranes from anaemia  Black tarry intestinal content or faeces Bloat  Rumen extremely distended with gas  Severe head, neck and inguinal congestion Caudal vena caval syndrome  Liver abscess burst into caudal vena cava  Haemoptysis and swallowed blood clot in rumen Enterotoxaemia  No strong gross diagnostic features. History of sudden death with nervous signs in young unvaccinated cattle on ad libitum high carbohydrate diet and absence of significant necropsy findings are suggestive. Unlikely to occur in shipboard cattle but has been suspected. 15 Changes related to increased vascular permeability of cavity linings and brain may be present i.e. increased volume of pericardial, thoracic andor peritoneal fluid containing fibrin, flattening of gyri of brain and coning of cerebellum may be suggestive. Fatty liver disease  Fat animal  Liver and kidney pale swollen, soft and friable Hyperthermiaheatstroke  Internal and external carcass are hot to touch  Core body temperature measures 43 o C when measured in heart, liver or deep rump muscle  Recent hot and humid pen conditions  Pink coloured flesh cooked; heart is in state of contracture  Lungs reddark but soft and spongy Obstruction by intestinal phytobezoar or foreign body  Presence of phytobezoar in intestine or pylorus  Fluid accumulation anterior to phytobezoarforeign body; shrunken intestine below phytobezoar with sparse, mucus- coated contents Other  Unusual colour, size, shape, smell or arrangement of organs or tissues or both Table continued next page 15 Enterotoxaemia has been suspected as the cause of sudden death in shipboard cattle after cattle decks have been washed and food consumption increases with the cooler conditions. 31 Table 5.1: continued Peritonitis following perforation of abomasalintestinal ulcer  Fibrin on viscera  Abomasal or intestinal contents in abdominal cavity  Presence of perforation in abomasal or intestinal wall Pneumonia  50 of both lungs feel solid rather than spongy  Lungs coloured red or dark red  Fibrin sheets or strands on surface of both lungs  History of respiratory distress Poisoning  Poisons such as lubricants, disinfectants, fumigants, insecticides detectable in reticulum or rumen by sight or smell or both. Rumen acidosis  pH of rumen contents is 5.5  large quantity of grain or pellets in rumen Traumatic reticuloperitonitis hardware disease  peritonitis evident as fibrin, pus, adhesions affecting reticulum and diaphragm where they contact.  peritonitis may become diffuse throughout abdomen  wire, nail or needle may be found in lumen or wall of reticulum  suppurative pericarditis and localised pleuritis may be present if diaphragm and pericardium penetrated Salmonellosis  Diarrhoea ± dysentery  Thickened and reddened intestinal mucosa, septic tank odour  Swollen, oedematous draining mesenteric lymph nodes Septicaemia  Likely extension of wound infection from sole abscess or decubital wounds  Swelling, discolouration and foul smelling tissues originating and extending from wounds Starvation  Muscle wasting; Empty rumen; Depleted fat tissue; Serous atrophy of fat  Hypoplastic liver and gall bladder Tick fever  Yellowing of viscera, watery blood, enlarged spleen ± red urine  Presence of animals on board that originate from tick area Traumatic injury including asphyxia, broken neck  Indicative posture or presence of fractures and dislocations or both  Subcutaneous bruising 32

5.1.2 Be aware of predisposing risk factors for death