Dermatopathy in Juvenile Angus Cattle Due to Vitamin A Deficiency
May 2012
in “
Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation
”
Studysummary This study reports that vitamin A deficiency can cause dermatologic issues like alopecia and orthokeratosis in Angus calves, and affected calves improved with vitamin A supplementation. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study reported dermatologic manifestations of vitamin A deficiency in 2 of 32 juvenile Angus calves, with a third suspected case. Affected calves exhibited alopecia, severe orthokeratosis, and acanthosis, which improved with vitamin A supplementation. The deficiency was linked to inadequate dietary intake due to drought conditions and lack of vitamin A in supplements. Histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis, and subsequent vitamin A treatment resolved the dermatopathy, with no further cases observed. This case highlighted the importance of considering vitamin A deficiency in cattle with orthokeratotic dermatopathy.
