Subpleural lymph nodes in goat lungs.

Subpleural lymph nodes were found in more than 4% of 3245 goat lungs during a slaughterhouse survey of respiratory disease. Their frequency varied between flocks from 2% to as much as 27%. They were more common in feral goats than in crossbreds or Angoras. Their numbers were positively associated with carcass weight and the number of nodular muellerius lesions on the lung surface. Their distribution and architecture were different from the pulmonary lymphoid nodules described in cattle with dictyocaulus re-infection syndrome.

A slaughterhouse survey of lung lesions in goats.

A survey of the lungs from 4284 goats killed at a slaughterhouse in the North Island of New Zealand during the winter of 1990 revealed only ten cases of non-parasitic bronchopneumonia. However, 41% of the lungs had lesions consistent with infection by Muellerius capillaris, 33% with Dictyocaulus filaria, and 8% with both species. The prevalence of parasitic lesions increased with age. The carcasses of goats with mild to severe Dictyocaulus filaria lesions were from 0.81 to 1.52 kg lighter than those without the lesions (p<0.001). The carcasses of goats with more than ten nodular (Muellerius capillaris) lesions were 0.75 kg lighter than those without the lesions (p<0.001). Twelve sets of lungs had lesions of chronic bronchiectasis. Nematode larvae were seen in the bronchial lumina of three of them. The microscopic appearance varied from a moderate dilatation of occluded bronchi which retained an intact epithelium, to large foreign-body granulomas where the remaining bronchial outlines were barely discernible. Multiple, very discrete, fibrous pleural plaques were found on the caudal lobes in two cases. Plaques of this morphology have not been described previously in the veterinary literature. Pleural adhesions were found in 350 cases (8.2%). The relatively higher frequency of pleurisy versus non-parasitic pneumonia suggests that pneumonia in goats in the North Island of New Zealand completely resolves in most cases.

Visual assessment of pneumonic area in ovine lungs.

Twelve veterinarians were asked to estimate the percentage of lung surface that appeared consolidated in eleven projected colour transparencies of pneumonic ovine lungs. The estimates were compared to the pneumonic area measured by image analysis. Although all observers had some experience in veterinary pathology there was considerable variation between individuals in the accuracy of their estimates. Large lesions were underestimated and small lesions overestimated by most observers.

Chondrodystrophy in calves associated with manganese deficiency.

A severe congenital chondrodystrophy in Charolais calves is described. Thirty-two calves were born on the same farm with shortened limbs and enlarged joints. Histologically, there was poor cartilage maturation with excessive amounts of rarefied cartilage matrix. There were degenerative changes in the chondrocytes and a severe reduction in the mucopolysaccharide content of all body hyaline cartilage. The cartilage matrix, when examined ultrastructurally, showed loose, disorganised fibres in a rarefied matrix, and extensive vacuolation of the chondrocytes. A low level of manganese was found in the liver of an affected calf. The pregnant cows were fed on apple pulp and corn silage, both of which are low in manganese.