The rumenitis and liver abscess complex and vitamin A status in beef cattle

Abstract

SUMMARYThe seasonal incidence of rumen and liver lesions is recorded in traditional and in intensively managed cattle, together with the vitamin A status of the two groups. Rumen lesions were observed to reach a peak in the late winter and early spring in traditional cattle, at which time the liver vitamin A levels fell to the lowest point; liver lesions reached a peak in the late summer. No specific trend was observable in rumen and liver lesions in the barley beef group. The mean levels of vitamin A were approximately one-third of those shown by the traditionally managed animals.It did not prove possible using the agglutination test to identify the sera of animals showing active hepatic necrobacillosis at the time of slaughter.