Causes and Prevention and Treatment Methods of Sudden Death Syndrome in Cattle
Sudden death syndrome in cattle is a new disease that has occurred commonly throughout China in recent years and has attracted much attention. It is characterized by sudden onset, unnoticeable symptoms, and rapid death; cattle often die before treatment can be given. It causes relatively great harm to the @#@228@#@ industry.
(I) Causes
Regarding the cause of this disease, there have been many research reports in recent years, with opinions varying widely and no definitive conclusion yet; they can be summarized as follows:
1. Cattle accidentally eat forage or feed contaminated with fluoroacetamide.
2. Cattle are infected with Clostridium welchii type A, causing this disease, or this bacterium is mixed with Bacillus [text unclear], or pathogenic Escherichia coli, causing infection.
3. Acute death caused by severe selenium deficiency in cattle.
(II) Symptoms
While cattle are grazing, working, shortly after eating, or resting, they suddenly develop the disease and die. This disease is characterized by sudden onset and rapid death. When onset is sudden, cattle mostly bellow frequently, are frightened, spit white or dark red foam, have erect hair on the back of the neck and sides of the chest, have muscle tremors in the shoulder blades and hind limbs, have normal or slightly low body temperature, suddenly fall to the ground, paddle with the limbs, and die within 1-2 hours.
(III) Prevention and Treatment
1. Prevention Comprehensive preventive measures should be adopted for this disease. In areas where fluoroacetamide poisoning frequently occurs, publicity should be strengthened to prevent rodenticide from contaminating forage or feed. In selenium-deficient areas, cattle should be regularly supplemented with selenium-containing vitamin E. In areas where Clostridium welchii type A infection is predominant, multivalent Clostridium welchii vaccine can be selected for regular immunization of cattle.
2. Treatment Because sudden death syndrome in cattle has a sudden onset and rapid death, there is often no time for diagnosis and treatment, or the sick cattle have already died before the veterinarian arrives. The diagnosis of this disease mainly relies on postmortem examination. Stomach contents can be collected for toxicological analysis, and intestinal tract can also be collected for bacteriological examination, etc.