Ultrasonography of the distal limbs in Nellore and Girolando calves 8 to 12 months of age

Abstract

BackgroundUltrasonography can be used anywhere and allows rapid, noninvasive differentiation of soft tissue structures of the musculoskeletal system. The objectives of this study were to describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the structures of the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal and the interphalangeal joints, the appearance of the growth plates of the distal metacarpus/metatarsus and of the proximal phalanx and to measure the cross-sectional dimensions of the DDFT and SDFT in Nellore and Girolando calves eight to 12 months of age.ResultsIn the longitudinal dorsal view the common digital extensor tendon and the digital extensor tendon were depicted as echogenic parallel fiber bundles located directly under the skin. The joint spaces appeared as anechoic interruptions of the hyperechogenic bone surfaces. The normal amount of synovial fluid could not be depicted. The growth plates were seen as anechoic interruptions of the bone surface proximal and distal to the fetlock joint space. In transverse sonograms of the distal palmar/plantar regions, the flexor tendons and branchs of the suspensory ligament were imaged as echogenic structures. The lumen of the digital flexor tendon sheath could not be imaged in these normal cattle. The thin digital distal annular ligament and the reversal of positions of the DDFT and SDFT could be appreciated. No significant differences were found between the cross-sectional measurements of the DDFT and the SDFT from Nellore and Girolando in any age, thoracic/pelvic limbs, right/left sides and lateral/medial digits.ConclusionsThe results of this study establish important ultrasonographic reference data of the normal structures of the distal limbs and the normal dimensions of the flexor tendons in Nellore and Girolando calves for use in clinical practice.

Length of condyles and phalanges of Brazilian bovines (Nellore, Pantaneira, Curraleira) and water buffaloes (Murrah Jafarabadi) measured by radiographic images: post-mortem study

“…Moreover, few studies have been done to describe the normal aspects of digits in Nellore (Gonçalves et al, 2014) or to report diseases that affect the limbs in cattle and buffaloes (Barbosa et al, 2014).…”

Clinical findings, treatment, and outcome in 11 dairy heifers with breakdown injury due to interosseous medius muscle rupture

“…Ultrasonographic findings were similar in all the heifers. Based on the results of several recent studies, 10,11,19 we expect that ultrasonography will be used in future cases to assess the severity of interosseus muscle rupture and the progress of healing more objectively, and that the development of targeted treatment protocols will be possible.…”

“…There were 10 Brown Swiss and one Holstein-Friesian dairy heifers with a mean age of 11 months (median, 10 months; range [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. The caseload of lame cattle in the clinic during the study period consisted of 66% Brown Swiss, 27% Holstein-Friesian, and 7% other breeds.…”

“…[5][6][7]9 The interosseus medius muscle of both cattle and horses is primarily a tendinous structure but also contains relatively large amounts of muscle, as well as fat, tissue. There are sev-eral reports in the literature describing the different echogenicity patterns during ultrasound examination resulting from tendinous tissue being interspersed with muscle tissue in cattle 10,11 and horses. 12 The interosseus muscle contains a relatively large amount of muscle tissue in young cattle but very little in older cattle.…”

Ultrasonographic Examination of The Forelimb Joint Regions in Normal 1- To 2-Month-Old Holstein Calves

“…In the Englishlanguage publications, which focus on adult cattle, few images have been presented or described for calves [3][4][5]11,17,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. A recent publication aimed to describe the distal limbs of 8-to 12-monthold Nellore and Girolando calves [33]. However, to our knowledge a thorough description of the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the musculoskeletal apparatus in calves less than 2 months old is still lacking.…”