[Tail necrosis and tail biting in veal calves in group housing]

Two cases of lesions of the tail due to tail-biting in veal calves kept in a loose housing system are reported. On one farm, necrosis of the tail accompanied by abscess formation occurred. In fattening bulls necrosis of the tail may appear after traumatic lesions due to treading the tails, but the exact pathogenesis is obscure. The reason for tail-biting in veal calves is also not known. The therapeutic and preventive measures described therefore are rather non-specific.