Experimental reproduction of iodine deficiency in cattle

Abstract

The role of iodine deficiency in stillbirth/perinatal weak calf syndrome was investigated in pregnant heifers. Five heifers were fed an iodine deficient diet (mean [sd] iodine concentration 0.06 [0.01] mg/kg dry matter [DM]) and six received an iodine sufficient diet (mean [sd] iodine concentration 1.45 [0.27] mg/kg DM). The diets consisted of wheat and soyabean meal with added minerals and vitamins (with or without iodine) and were fed to the heifers over the final four to five months of pregnancy. The iodine deficient diet produced clinicopathological changes and pathological changes in the thyroid glands of both the heifers and their offspring. However, all the calves in the iodine deficient group were born clinically normal.

Epidemiology and diagnosis of subclinical iodine deficiency in crossbred cattle of Punjab

“…16 Moreover, 41.5% of thyroids of goats slaughtered at abattoirs in Barielly had lesions of goitre. 3 Our results agree with the published findings that dietary iodine deficiency (of 4 to 5 months duration) sufficient to produce clinical and pathological changes in the thyroids of pregnant heifers could still allow normal births 17 and with the observation of low or very low PII values in cows with normal physical health, calving and fertility performance. 18,19 Since specific clinical signs of iodine deficiency were not apparent in our cows and their thyroid hormone activities were not below reference values, in spite of low PII values, it seemed that the deficiency might be of the nonclinical form.…”

Effect of a combined iodine and selenium supplementation on I and Se status of cows and their calves

“…Nevertheless, PI stayed lower than the threshold of deficiency of 50 g/L [24]. By contrast, I supplementation in the HISe group increased PI as described in other studies [9,10].…”

Pathological characteristics of thyroid glands from Japanese Black Cattle living in the restricted area of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

“…Chronic hunger, cachectic disease, and vitamin B‐complex deficiency lead to thyroid atrophy (Cohrs, ). The calves in experimental iodine deficiency were born clinically normal (MacCoy, ). Seven of the thyroid glands of cattle from the restricted area were lighter than glands from the control cattle, which were of normal weight.…”