Rickets in Sheep

Rickets in Scottish blackface lambs on five South West Scotland farms

“…Historical reports have indicated that oral dose of vitamin D, either as part of cod liver oil supplements or as specific supplement, can improve growth rates and clinical condition in sheep which have rickets 6 14. One study showed that the administration of 2 million IU of vitamin D was associated with significant weight gain 6. The reason for the failure of the oral drench to improve the vitamin D status of the sheep in this case report remains unclear.…”

“…6 14 One study showed that the administration of 2 million IU of vitamin D was associated with significant weight gain. 6 The reason for the failure of the oral drench to improve the vitamin D status of the sheep in this case report remains unclear. The half-life of 25(OH)D in most animals is around 2-3 weeks, so rapid metabolism of absorbed vitamin D is an unlikely explanation.…”

“…4 5 The oral administration of vitamin D has been shown to improve weight gain and growth in hoggs from an Ayrshire flock where rickets was prevalent. 6 This case report describes a cluster of cases of profound hypovitaminosis D, confirmed by assessment of serum 25(OH)D concentrations, and histopathological skeletal abnormalities in lambs from five farms in South West Scotland during late winter/early spring 2019.…”

“…3 Rickets has occasionally been reported in sheep but is not considered to be a widespread problem in UK flocks. [4][5][6][7] Although cases of inherited rickets has been reported in Corriedale sheep due to nonsense mutation in the dentin matrix protein 1 gene, 8 almost all rickets cases reported in sheep are considered nutritional in origin due to a lack of vitamin D or dietary phosphorus. [9][10][11] Several reports of rickets have reported the condition in southern Scotland and northern England flocks, notably in extensively farmed lambs which have being given access to nutritious grazing in late winter.…”

Studies of the skeleton of the sheep. IV. The effects and interactions of dietary supplements of calcium, phosphorus, cod-liver oil and energy, as starch, on the skeleton of growing blackface wethers

“…As far as the live-stock of the United Kingdom is concerned hill sheep are thus the class of farm animals most exposed to the risks of disorders of the bones and teeth. Records exist of several bone and tooth disorders occurring in hill sheep in this country: 'cappi' (Bowes 1932;Bosworth & Stewart, 1932-33;Thomlinson, 1953-54;Fraser & Stamp, 1957;Cresswell, 1958), 'bent leg' (Elliot, OIT, Wood & Crichton, 1926;Dunlop, 1954), 'cripples' (Stewart, 1933;Piercy, 1934a, 6), osteoporosis (Butler, Nisbet & Robertson, 1957) and early loss of incisor teeth (Wallace, 1955;Fraser & Stamp, 1957). Workers in New Zealand have drawn attention to analogous disorders in sheep-rickets (Fitch, 1943;Ewer & Bartrum, 1948), 'bowie' (Fitch, 1954;Cunningham, 1957) and excessive wear of incisor teeth (Barnicoat, 1957).…”