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5.1.2 Be aware of predisposing risk factors for death
Review Table 3.1 for a list of risk factors that predispose to deaths in ship board cattle. Be aware of these risk factors when attempting to determine the predisposing factors that may
have combined to cause death.
5.1.3 Equipment needed
Information about equipment for performing necropsies on board an export vessel and carrying equipment to and from a necropsy site, is provided in Section 7.9 and 7.10.
5.1.4 Necropsy and Sampling Protocols
A NecropsyDead Cattle Report should be completed for all dead cattle
– including those deaths where a necropsy is not done.
It is generally not possible to necropsy all dead cattle, and the following protocols ensure sufficient necropsies are performed to characterise causes of death while minimizing the
overall burden on AAVets and stockmen:
Necropsy protocol: Targeted necropsy refers to a partial necropsy designed to provide gross examination
and description of the minimum set of organs and tissues to characterise most causes of death. Involves examination of chest and abdominal cavities in all cases and
additional tissues only if indicated by history, clinical signs or initial findings.
Comprehensive necropsy refers to a complete necropsy and a comprehensive
sampling strategy. Performed when there is no obvious cause of death to ensure maximal likelihood of subsequent laboratory examination identifying the cause of death.
Number of animals to necropsy:
Where multiple deaths occur from the same disease syndrome and around the same time within 1-2 days, necropsy three representative animals only.
If the same disease or syndrome continues to be associated with deaths over subsequent days or later in the voyage, conduct additional confirmatory necropsies at a
lower rate one per 1-2 days from those animals. If at any stage there is suspicion of a different disease syndrome, then conduct
necropsies of three representative animals i.e. follow the same general protocol.
Sampling protocol:
The approach to sample collection at necropsy has been developed to minimise the number of samples and time required to collect samples, while ensuring a minimum standard of
samples from every necropsy.
Sampling from Targeted Necropsies Core samples should be collected from every necropsy. A minimum sample set that
helps ensure consistent and quality results from laboratory examination of samples to determine cause of death.
Note that even if all dead cattle cannot be necropsied it is important to complete a dead cattlenecropsy report for all
dead cattle as a way of recording all deaths.
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Additional samples may be required in addition to the core samples, depending on
the suspected cause of death
Sampling from Comprehensive Necropsies
Comprehensive necropsies are performed when there is no obvious cause of death from clinical signs, history and initial necropsy, and should be accompanied by a full
set of samples.
5.1.5 Be familiar with photographic requirements before commencing a necropsy