[Preclinical diagnosis of metabolic osteopathy in feedlot bulls]

Diagnostic significance of some clinico-biochemical parameters was investigated in 221 fattened bulls. An evaluation of the results has shown that the determination of concentrations of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase activity in blood plasma was not of essential importance for diagnostics. The values of these parameters were within the reference range (Tab. I). The parameters determined by chemical analyses of bioptates from the tuber coxae of the fattened bulls with various forms of alimentary osteopathy showed characteristics, statistically significant differences in comparison with the control animals (Tabs. II, III, IV). In the bulls of group B/1 (clinically healthy, phosphorus deficit in the feed ration, acidogenic nutrition in part of the animals, lowered performance, occurrence of clinical cases of osteopathy in fattening facilities), a significant decrease in the values of ash per 1 g fat-free dry matter and per 1 cm3 spongy substance of the t. coxae and a significantly wider index Ca/P were determined. In the bulls of group B/2 (clinically healthy, deficit of phosphorus, calcium, proteins and energy in the feed ration, decreased performance, occurrence of clinical osteopathy), a significant decrease of ash per 1 g fat-free dry matter and per 1 cm3 of spongy substance of the t. coxae was determined, the Ca/P index was significantly narrower. In the bulls of group C/1 (bulls with clinical symptoms of skeleton disorder, phosphorus deficit in the feed ration, acidogenic nutrition in part of the animals), a significant decrease of ash per 1 g far-free dry matter and per 1 cm3 spongy substance of the t. coxae was found out, the Ca/P index was wider.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)