In a feedlot of about 1,000 head of cattle, 146 animals died within a period of a few months affected by a disease characterized by anorexia, icterus, hemoglobinuria, constipation, or diarrhea. The clinical course of the disease lasted a few days. Postmortem findings were generalized icterus and a yellow discolored liver. The kidneys were dark brown, and the urinary bladder was filled with urine of the same dark-brown color. The main histopathological findings were centrolobular coagulative necrosis, apoptosis, bilestasis, and proliferation of bile ducts in the portal space. Changes in the kidneys included nephrosis and the presence of bile and precipitates, and cylinders of albumin and of hemoglobin in the uriniferous tubules. Liver samples, collected from 3 animals on which postmortem examinations were performed, had 2,008, 2,783 and 4,906 ppm copper in their dry matter. Two samples of poultry litter fed to the cattle contained 362 and 323 ppm copper. The green forage that formed the rest of their feed only had 4.7 ppm copper. Copper poisoning was diagnosed, most probably caused by feeding litter from poultry that had been fed a ration treated with copper sulfate to avoid aspergillosis.
HAIRBALLS COMMONLY REGURGITATED BY CATTLE
“Most people are familiar with the horrifying and soggy hairballs left behind by their cats, but cows can also suffer from furry masses stuck in their stomachs. While a cat can painstakingly hurl up their own matted hair, however, cows don’t have the ability to vomit up these hairballs. This means their bovine fur is stuck in one of their four stomachs for good.
Cows have what are called ruminant digestive systems. Unlike humans, who have one stomach for digestion, cows have four, allowing them to eat tough, fibrous grass until they are full. Since this grass is high in fiber and hard to digest, sometimes the regurgitate small bits of it to re-chew. Because their stomachs are separated, foreign bits can become easily stuck in their bodies.” (quote from source)
IN our case the balls were made of copper wire.
Some of the foreign items commonly found inside cows are hairballs. These masses eventually clump together, forming smooth spheres. Unfortunately, the spheres can prove deadly. As they grow larger, they make the stomach non-functional, blocking food from traveling or digesting properly. By the time a hairball reaches four inches in diameter, a cow will become emaciated and seek to drink massive amounts of water.
Cow hairballs are often only discovered after the animal has died. Goats, sheep, llamas, and deer can all develop these hairballs. For a long time, these clumps were considered to have curative properties. Known as a”bezoar,” it was believed the hairballs absorbed poison and were an ultimate form of antidote.
