Clinicopathological diagnosis of type-I abomasal ulceration in cattle and buffaloes

Abstract

This study was undertaken to document the occurrence of Type I abomasal ulceration in apparently healthy dairy cattle and buffaloes. Thirteen hundred thirty two high yielding dairy animals (572 buffaloes and 760 cows) were screened for presence of type I abomasal ulceration on the basis of faecal occult blood test (FOBT). Positive FOBT was taken as confirmatory diagnostic test for type I ulceration. The occurrence of Type I abomasal ulceration in cattle and buffaloes was 0.92 percent and 0.69 percent, respectively, with an overall occurrence of 0.83 percent. All the 11 animals were found to be normal on clinical examination. The only observation was slight reduction in milk yield (2-3kg per day) over last 10–15 days in three cows and two buffaloes. The mean and median values of haematological parameters were within the normal reference range. The activity of Lipid peroxidation (LPO) was increased and that of superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GPx) was decreased. Increased pepsinogen level was a consistent finding so it could be used as an indicator of type I abomasal ulceration in apparently healthy animals.