Morphological Studies of Front Limb Deformities in Lambs

Long bones of 17 3- to 6-month-old lambs with bowed forelimbs underwent radiologic, microradiographic and histologic examinations. The distal ends of the radii showed a combination of valgus, flexion and internal rotation. There were thin cortical bone and large marrow cavity adjacent to the growth plate in the radii and metacarpi. Histological studies showed increased numbers of osteoclasts adjacent to the zone of calcified cartilage of the growth plate. The trabeculae of primary and secondary spongiosa were fewer and thinner than those of controls. The length of secondary spongiosa was greatly reduced and the lateral compaction of the metaphysis was defective. The growth plate was normal. The predominant finding was osteoporosis resulting from increased osteoclastic resorption of bone trabeculae.

[1]  M. Hidiroglou,et al.  Bent-limb syndrome in lambs raised in total confinement. , 1978, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

[2]  C. Williams,et al.  FATE OF TRITIATED CHOLECALCIFEROL IN HEALTHY SHEEP AND IN THOSE AFFECTED BY OSTEODYSTROPHY , 1978 .

[3]  R L Coop,et al.  Experimental production of osteoporosis in growing lambs by continuous dosing with Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae. , 1975, Journal of comparative pathology.

[4]  C. Carlisle,et al.  Observations on the pathology of bent leg of lambs in South-Western Queensland. , 1975, Australian veterinary journal.

[5]  R. Gowe,et al.  A multi-disciplinary approach to the development of intensive animal systems for Canada † , 1974 .

[6]  H. Rasmussen,et al.  The physiological and cellular basis of metabolic bone disease , 1973 .

[7]  H. DeLuca.  The role of vitamin D and its relationship to parathyroid hormone and calcitonin. , 1971, Recent progress in hormone research.

[8]  A. Villanueva.  An improved stain for fresh, mineralized bone sections. Useful in the diagnosis of certain metabolic diseases of the bone. , 1967, American journal of clinical pathology.

[9]  V. Young,et al.  Phosphorus depletion in sheep and the ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the diet with reference to calcium and phosphorus absorption , 1966, British Journal of Nutrition.

[10]  W. Beeson,et al.  Iron requirement of the growing lamb. , 1965 .

[11]  L. Fitch.  Osteodystrophic diseases of sheep in New Zealand II—“Bowie” or “bent-leg” , 1954 .

[12]  C. H. Fiske,et al.  THE COLORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF PHOSPHORUS , 1925 .