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Systemic granulomatous disease in dairy cattle during a dicyandiamide feeding trial

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-03, 15:03 authored by Juliet Cayzer, Kelly Buckle, John Munday, Stewart LedgardStewart Ledgard, Axel HeiserAxel Heiser, Alan Thatcher
CASE HISTORY: Mature, in-calf, non-lactating, Friesian or Friesian-cross cows were fed dicyandiamide (DCD) at daily doses of 0.15 g/kg (Group 1; n=31), 0.45 g/kg (Group 2; n=21) and 0.75 g/kg (Group 3; n=12), as part of a safety trial, which also included a control group (n=15). Daily health observations were carried out on each cow until Day 86 of the study. On Day 28 one cow from Group 3 was observed with signs of disease, and subsequently in other cows. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Clinical signs in the first case included depression, pyrexia (40.9˚C), salivation and dehydration, in addition to progressive weight loss, followed by death on Day 32. Other cows from all treatment groups developed clinical signs of disease resulting in euthanasia of seven animals. Disease occurred in 10/12 (83%) cows in Group 3, 11/21 (52%) cows in Group 2, and 7/31 (23%) cows in Group 1. Clinical signs were variable and included dermatitis and pruritus of the head and neck, petechial haemorrhages, pyrexia, weight loss, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and regenerative anaemia. PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Gross findings included generalised lymphadenopathy, subcutaneous oedema, petechiation of mucosal and serosal surfaces, and gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Histologically, multiple organs and tissues contained inflammatory foci characterised by infiltrates of lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages and occasionally prominent multinucleated giant cells and eosinophils. DIAGNOSIS: Multisystemic granulomatous and haemorrhagic syndrome resembling cell-mediated hypersensitivity, associated with DCD ingestion. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first report of toxicity in cattle associated with ingestion of DCD. The proportion of affected cows increased with increasing dose of DCD, but. not all cattle in the high dose group developed disease, therefore additional factors may determine whether or not an individual cow will develop DCD-associated disease.

History

Rights statement

Copyright © 2017 Informa UK Limited

Language

  • English

Does this contain Māori information or data?

  • No

Publisher

Taylor & Francis Group

Journal title

New Zealand Veterinary Journal

ISSN

0048-0169

Citation

Cayzer, J., Buckle, K. N., Munday, J. S., Ledgard, S. F., Heiser, A., & Thatcher, A. (2018). Systemic granulomatous disease in dairy cattle during a dicyandiamide feeding trial. New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 66(2), 108-113. doi:10.1080/00480169.2017.1412840

Funder

Ministry for Primary Industries