Phosphorus deficiency in cattle in Piauí, Brazil

Abstract

A disease of cattle was studied which occurs in the regions called "chapadas" or "agreste" of the state of Piauí, in northeastern Brazil. The clinical picture of the disease is stunted growth, rough haircoat, low slaughterhouse weight, reduced calf crop, low milk yield, a weak and deformed skeleton, as enlarged joints and lordosis, frequent bone fractures, extreme osteophagia, which causes cases of choking mouth and throat. "Entreva" is the popular term for the most severe cases of this disease, characterized by skeletal lesions so severe that the animal has a stiff gait or has difficulty in walking. The main post-mortem finding was softening of bones, which could be broken or cut easier than normally. Histologically the lesions of rickets and osteomalacia were seen, as mainly abundance of osteoid tissue. Analyses of blood serum for inorganic phosphorus revealed low values. The clinical picture, the post-mortem and histopathologic findings, and the blood serum analyses for inorganic phosphorus permits the diagnosis of severe phosphorus deficiency.