| dc.description.abstract | On a yearly base approximately 10-15% of the goat kids on a commercial dairy goat farm in the Netherlands was affected with a rickets-like bone disease. Clinical features, which consisted of bended (front)legs and a stiff posture and gate, were seen from the age of 14 to 21 days onwards. The objectives of this study were to quantify clinical symptoms and determine whether or not the incidence of disease was associated with external risk factors, derived from does, paternity and diet. A total of 36 yearlings and 112 second parity does lamb between 5 and 19 March 2016. In the last trimester of pregnancy, 61 of 112 second parity does were treated with a vitamin D preparation. In a four-weeks longitudinal study, clinical features of this rickets-like disease were measured in a total of 235 goat kids. On the basis of appendix I and II, each kid was classified into a category. Calcium, inorganic phosphate and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were determined in blood samples. Furthermore, three goat kids were selected for pathological examination of kidney, liver and bones. The number of clinically diseased goat kids was not significantly associated with the vitamin D treatment of does (p=0,744), parity of mothers (p=0,559) and bucks (p=0,264). The external risk factor diet, was associated with the number of goat kids, which exposed mild clinical symptoms (p=0,002). The mean concentrations of calcium, inorganic phosphate and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the clinically diseased offspring of vitamin D treated does were 2,45 mmol/L (σ=0,11), 2,90 mmol/L (σ=0,14) and 92 nmol/L (σ=35), respectively. The results show that neither the existence of clinical signs nor the blood concentrations of calcium, inorganic phosphate and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 were associated with the vitamin D treatment of does. Pathological examination showed several bone deformations, which were most probably related to a rickets-like bone disease. | |
