Incidence of the epidermoid carcinoma of nictitant membrane in cattle of the canchim breed

Abstract

The incidence of nictitant membrane epidermoid carcinoma in cattle of the Canchim (Charoles x Nelore breed) was studied. A total of 327 animals (207 from a cross breeding process to obtain the Canchim breed and 120 from the Nelore breed) were biweekly examined for a period of two years. All the animals were maintained in the same conditions of pasture and had the same prophylactic treatments. Five out of the 207 animals which were in the process of cross breeding to obtain the Canchim cattle, presented typical epidermoid carcinoma of the nictitant membrane. All the tumors were observed in animals with 5/8 or more of the Charoles cross-breeding. These results strongly suggest a genetical participation in the development of the squamous epidermoid carcinoma of the nictitant membrane of the eyes in that breed of cattle. The authors believe that the aetiology of the squamous cell carcinoma of the nictitant membrane has a relation with genetical factors carried, in this case, by the Charoles breed.