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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.
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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.
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Stockman’s handbook – transport of cattle by sea, short and long haul voyages. Ross Ainsworth. LiveCorp. April 2008
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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5.1.2 Be aware of predisposing risk factors for death