NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
PROGRESSIVE RIPENING OF FODDERS ON MINERAL NUTRITION OF CATTLE. 151
TABLE III.
Effect of phosphorus content of food on the inorganic phosphorus of the blood serum of
mature bullocks.
___
Aurangabad hay . .
Spear grass hay . .
Jouar hay . . .
Rhodes grass hay . .
___
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
P.
intake
per day
gm.
5.35
4.00
3.00
7.93
4.81
10.53
10.14
12.78
8.85
4.94
P.
excretion.
per day
gm.
5.20
4.99
4.48
6.69
5.31
9.66
9.96
13.27
6.96
4.91
P.
Balance
gm.
0.15
—0.99
—1.48
1.24
—0.50
0.87
0.18
—0.49
1.89
0.03
Inorganic
P. in 100
c.c. serum
mgm.
5.08
5.11
4.94
5.99
5.48
6.08
5.39
6.08
6.12
4.84
A significant point in the results of table III is that the blood serum phos-
phorus values do not vary according to the intake alone, but are also considerably
influenced by the nature of the fodder. For example, in the Spear grass test,
with an intake of 4.81 grm. phosphorus the serum phosphorus level was found
to be 5.48 mgm. and in the jouar test with the much higher intake of 10.14 grm.
phosphorus the serum phosphorus level was only 5.39 mgm.
3. Calcium content of food in relation to the calcium of blood serum.
The relevant figures are given in Table IV. If we consider either the same
fodder at different stages of maturity or if we consider and compare different fod-
ders with one another the value for serum calcium is not parallel either with the
intake or with the balance of calcium, but is dependent to a considerable extent
upon the stage of maturity of the crop, the serum calcium showing an increase as
the crop advances in maturity. This seems to be a very important conclusion.
E
152
THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, II
TABLE IV.
Effect of calcium content of food on the Ca of the blood serum of mature bullocks.
Aurangabad hay . .
Spear grass hay . .
Jouar hay . . .
Rhodes grass hay . .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
Ca.
intake
per day
gm.
20.19
17.56
19.92
18.42
19.29
13.05
10.20
7.65
20.09
15.61
Ca.
excretion
per day
gm.
19.29
17.74
20.19
16.98
17.44
12.67
10.34
10.50
13.44
15.29
Ca.
Balance
gm.
0.90
—0.18
—0.27
1.44
1.85
0.38
—0.14
—2.85
6.65
0.32
Ca.
per 100 c.c.
serum
mgm.
10.84
11.76
13.18
11.38
13.17
11.15
10.85
12.60
17.58
13.50
Rhodes grass 1st cut is the only exception to the above general regularity
and the results with this fodder are quite out of the ordinary, both the retention
and serum calcium level being remarkably high. The peculiarity of this fodder
will be referred to again below.
It appears, therefore, that whatever the significance of the serum calcium
level may be, it is not always a direct index of the state of calcium nutrition.
Somewhat similar conclusions were reached by Fraser, Godden and Auchina¬
chie [1934] in their experiments on feeding calcium deficient rations with and with-
out supplements to sheep.
4. Effect of Rhodes grass on the serum calcium.
With regard to the high serum calcium values obtained with the 1st cut of
Rhodes grass, fuller data are given in Table V.
PROGRESSIVE RIPENING OF FODDERS ON MINERAL NUTRITION OF CATTLE. 153
TABLE V.
Effect of Rhodes grass on the serum Ca.
Fodder—1st cut.
Rhodes grass hay . . .
Aurangabad hay . . .
Jonar hay . . . . .
Date.
15th November 1933 .
20th November 1933 .
9th December 1933 .
13th December 1933 .
13th December 1933 .
16th December 1933 .
Serum Ca Mgm.
per cent.
Animal D.
16.47
16.86
10.98
10.33
..
..
Animal V.
18.43
18.56
..
..
11.76
11.63
Two animals D and V were used for these Rhodes grass tests. Later the ani-
mal D was used for the Aurangabad hay test and the animal V for the Jouar test.
In each case Rhodes grass gave abnormally high values for serum calcium. Simi-
lar effects on blood calcium have been quoted by Bourne and Cambell [1932] who
found that cabbage diet gave high calcium and oats diet low calcium values of
blood serum of rabbits. Kathlene Culhane [1930] also obtained similar results
with cabbage diets. It seems that Rhodes grass has a tendency to produce an
effect similar to cabbage.
5. The relation between calcium and phosphorus ratio of fodders and the serum
calcium.
The calcium/phosphorus ratio is considered an important factor in the
assimilation and in the serum levels of these two elements.
154 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, II
TABLE VI.
Effect of calcium / phosphorus ratio of fodder on serum calcium and inorganic phos-
phorus.
Aurangabad hay .
Spear grass hay .
Jouar hay . .
Rhodes grass hay
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
Ca.
intake
per day
gm.
20.19
17.56
19.92
18.42
19.29
13.05
10.20
7.65
20.09
15.61
P.
intake
per day
gm.
5.35
4.00
3.00
7.93
4.81
10.53
10.14
12.78
8.85
4.94
Ca./P.
ratio.
3.78
4.38
6.63
2.32
4.01
1.24
1.01
0.60
2.27
3.16
Ca.
in serum
Mgm.
per cent.
10.84
11.76
13.18
11.38
13.17
11.15
10.85
12.60
17.58
13.50
Inorganic
P.
in serum
Mgm.
per cent.
5.08
5.11
4.94
5.99
5.48
6.08
5.39
6.08
6.12
4.84
The data in Table VI show that with Aurangabad hay and spear
grass hay serum calcium increased as the ratio became wider. With Rhodes
grass it has decreased as the ratio widened, with Jouar hay it has increased as the
ratio narrowed. Further a ratio of 0.6 in Jouar hay has given much the same
serum calcium level as a ratio of 6.6 in Aurangabad hay. There is therefore no
direct relationship to be seen between the calcium/phosphorus ratio and the
serum calcium level in these experiments. du Toit, Malan and Greenwald [1931]
working with sheep found only slight differences in the blood calcium in spite of
a twenty-fold variation in the calcium/phosphorus ratio. Greenwald [1931] also
came to the conclusion that the P—ion has no specific influence on the calcium
content of the blood of dogs, results which agree with the above findings.
Bethke, Kick and Wilder [1932] have recorded that calcium of the blood serum
of rats was reduced as the calcium/phosphrous ratio of the ration was changed
from 1.00 to 0.25 in the absence of vitamin D, but when vitamin D was added
to the ration no such reduction in calcium content of serum was noted.
6. Comparison of serum and urinary phosphorus.
PROGRESSIVE RIPENING OF FODDERS ON MINERAL NUTRITION OF CATTLE. 155
TABLE VII.
Blood serum phosphorus in relation to the composition of the urine.
Aurangabad hay
Spear grass hay .
Jouar hay .
Rhodes grass hay
1st cut
.
2nd cut
.
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
P.
intake
per
day
gm.
5.35
4.00
3.00
7.93
4.81
10.53
10.14
12.78
8.85
4.94
P.
Balance
gm.
0.15
—0.99
—1.48
1.24
—0.50
0.87
0.18
—0.49
1.89
0.03
Inorg. P.
in
serum
Mgm.
per cent.
5.08
5.11
4.94
5.99
5.48
6.08
5.39
6.08
6.12
4.84
P.
excretion
in urine
per day
gm.
0.04
0.03
0.03
0.04
0.03
0.11
0.09
0.08
0.63
0.05
Acid base
balance of
urine.*
67.2
53.6
—94.4
—0.9
—243.0
—1,119.3
368.8
186.3
1,416.2
57.0
* In c.c. N alkali per day.
The data of table VII show that although the phosphorus excreted in urine
is exceedingly small in amount, it is roughly parallel to the acid-base balance.
Serum phosphorus is not clearly related to these factors.
7. Comparison of serum and urinary calcium.
156
THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, II
TABLE VIII.
Blood serum calcium in relation to the composition of urine.
Aurangabad hay .
Spear grass hay .
Jouar hay . .
Rhodes grass hay
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
3rd cut .
1st cut .
2nd cut .
Ca.
intake
per
day
gm.
20.19
17.56
19.92
18.42
19.29
13.05
10.20
7.65
20.09
15.61
Ca.
Balance
gm.
0.90
—0.18
—0.27
1.44
1.85
0.38
—0.14
—2.85
6.65
0.32
Ca.
in
serum
Mgm.
per cent.
10.84
11.76
13.18
11.38
13.17
11.15
10.85
12.60
17.58
13.50
Ca.
excretion
in urine
per day
gm.
2.11
2.10
4.11
3.36
4.44
0.72
1.30
1.76
0.09
2.35
Acid base
balance in
urine.*
67.2
53.6
—94.4
—0.9
—243.0
1,119.3
368.8
186.3
1,416.2
57.0
* In c.c. N. alkali per day.
The data of table VIII show that the calcium excretion in urine is definitely
related to the acid base balance, the higher the alkalinity the lower is the urinary
excretion of calcium. Serum calcium is closely related to urinary calcium;
with each fodder an increase of urinary calcium is paralled by a corresponding
increase of serum calcium. Rhodes grass 1st cut is the only exception to this
rule. Here it would appear that a high serum calcium value is associated with
restricted excretion of calcium in the excessively alkaline urine.
The amount of vitamin D in the fodders under consideration is not known.
Generally the vitamin D potency may be expected to diminish with the ageing
of fodder. The high serum calcium of the Rhodes grass 1st cut may be ex-
plained in this, but the opposite result is obtained with the other three fodders.
Hence it is concluded that in the present tests vitamin D is not the most potent
factor regulating serum calcium.
PROGRESSIVE RIPENING OF FODDERS ON MINERAL NUTRITION OF CATTLE. 157
SUMMARY.
A marked change in the inorganic phosphorus of blood of bullocks is
noticeable within three days after a change of ration and the full effect of the
change is attained in less than three weeks.
The level of the inorganic phosphorus of serum is dependent up on both
the dietary phosphorus level and the nature of the food.
Blood calcium varies with different fodders. It does not vary directly with
the calcium content of the food, and there is no direct relationship between the
calcium/phosphorus ratio and the serum calcium, but the blood calcium level is
influenced by the nature of the food and the stage of maturity of the fodder.
Serum calcium is frequently parallel to the acid base balance and the
urinary excretion of calcium ; but there are important exceptions to these rules.
During the course of this work certain modifications in the methods of
blood analysis were found to be advantageous and are described in the text.
Acknowledgements. The author has much pleasure in acknowledging his
gratitude to Dr. F. J. Warth for his helpful criticism and advice. The writer
is also indebted to Mr. A. Viswanatha Iyer and Mr. N. Krishna Ayyar for some
of the analytical figures.
REFERENCES.
Bethke, R. M., Kick, C. H., and Wilder, W. (1932). J. Biol. Chem. 96, 389.
Bourne, M. C., and Cambell, D. A., (1932). Biochem Jl, 26, 183.
du Toit, P. J., Malan, A. I. and Greenwald, I. (1931). 17th Rep. Direct. Vet. Services
and Anim. Ind., Union of South Africa, 453.
Eckles, C. H., Gullisckson, T. W., and Palmer, L. S. (1932). Univ. of Minnesota
Agric. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 91.
Fraser, A. H. H., Godden, W., and Auchinachie, D. W. (1934). Biochem. J. 28, 157.
Greenwald, I., (1931). J. Biol. Chem. 93, 551.
Kuttner, T., and Lichtenstein, L. (1932). J.Biol. Chem. 95, 661.
Kathleen Culhane (1930). J. Biol. Chem. 86, 113.
Leiboff, S. L. (1929-30). J. Biol. Chem. 85, 759.
Malan, A. I., Green, H. H., and du Toit, P. J. (1928). J.Agri. Sci. 18, 376.
Palmer, L. S., Cunningham, W. S., and Eckles, C. H. (1930). J. Dairy Sci. 13, 174.
Rymer, M. R., and Lewis, R. C. (1932). J. Biol. Chem. 95, 441.
Sahyun, M. (1933). J. Biol. Chem. 101, 295.
Theiler, A., Green, H. H., and du Toit, P. J. (1927). J. Agri. Sci. 17,291.
BOVINE SURRA IN INDIA, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF
A RECENT OUTBREAK.
BY
P. R. KRISHNA IYER, G.M.V.C.,
Assistant Veterinary Research Officer, Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research,
Muktesar
AND
S. M. SARWAR, M.R.C.V.S.,
Veterinary Investigation Officer, Punjab.
(Received for publication on 18th February 1935).
Surra in cattle has not received the same attention as it has in equines, though
there is no doubt that the disease is widely prevalent amongst cattle and buffaloes
in this country. A perusal of the available literature gives one the idea, how-
ever, that cattle and buffaloes are more or less resistant to this disease.
The first reference to the likelihood of bovines acquiring surra is to be found
in a report of Evans [1880], from where the following quotation is taken in ex¬
tenso :—
" I took every opportunity of asking the zamindars at the outposts whether
they knew this disease amongst horned cattle and they all assured me in the
negative. However, one zamindar said that cattle do suffer from it and they
get it in consequence of eating a particular grass which grows upon inundated
land, either the root or some other part of which, contains a worm or an insect of
some kind in June or July and that the disease breaks out in them before the cold
season."
Lingard [1899] states that he subjected five or six cattle to inoculation with
surra trypanosomes in 1891 and found that all these animals survived the first
attack of the disease. He states that in no instance did any serious symptoms
follow and that cattle pass through a number of short paroxysms and prolonged
intermissions and concurrently some of them become considerably emaciated.
Eventually, however, these animals are said to throw off the disease and again
become robust in a few months.
The first authentic record of a natural outbreak of surra amongst cattle in
India is one made by Lingard [1895]. During this year, twenty-six bullocks in
the Remount Depot at Karnal were attacked by this disease, of which twenty
( 158 )
BOVINE SURRA IN INDIA, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF RECENT OUTBREAK
159
died and six were destroyed. The greatest mortality occurred during the rains
which were unusually early that year, 11.62 inches falling in June. The symp-
toms noted by him in the bullocks when first taken ill were loss of power in the
hind quarters. The animals staggered and fell and were unable to rise from the
ground and there was incontinence of urine. Some animals when driven from
the shed to the hospital, fell down and died en route. This outbreak at Karnal
was one of surra complicated with fllariasis.
Until Lingard [1899] inoculated two buffaloes in 1897 with surra trypanosomes,
there was no evidence to show whether buffaloes were susceptible to surra or
not, although it was surmised that if cattle were capable of contracting the disease,
buffaloes would not be exempt. These two animals showed the parasites in the
circulation following an incubation period of five days. The first buffalo died
120 days later and it had 12 paroxysms lasting 39 days and 11 intermissions last-
ing 81 days. The second buffalo died 46 days after the first appearance of the
parasites in the blood and this period was made up of 7 paroxysms lasting 15
days and 7 intermissions lasting 31 days. Both these animals became emaciated
during the course of the disease, notwithstanding a voracious appetite which
was maintained till a few days before death.
Fraser [1910] who has written on surra as it occurs in Malaya, which is an
endemic centre of the disease, says that the course of the affection in cattle is
apparently dependent on the condition of the animal at the time of infection.
Animals in good condition may show only some loss of condition and an occasional
rise of temperature. However, intercurrent infections which devitalize the
animals, may set up a relapse in such animals and cause them to die of surra.
When cattle in poor condition are attacked, the disease usually runs a more acute
course. This worker adds that general anaemia is diagnostic of this condition
in Malay cattle.
Sowerby [1911] in his experiments carried out with a view to discover a
reservoir of surra trypanosomes found that healthy buffaloes were carriers of this
parasite.
Baldrey [1911] studied the course of surra in a plains bull which was arti-
ficially infected with surra blood from a pony, and observed that the bull did
not show any clinical symptoms and was to all appearances quite healthy, even
at the time it was showing in its blood the trypanosomes which could confer a
deadly disease when inoculated into guineapigs.
Hutyra and Marek [1912] state that surra in cattle becomes apparent only
with the gradual development of anaemia and emaciation which sometimes reach
a very high degree and that recovery takes place in most cases. They admit,
however, that outbreaks do sometimes occur, in which the disease appears in
numerous cattle with severe manifestations such as high fever, etc., and that
they may run an unfavourable course. They add that buffaloes rarely become
F
160 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. [V, II
affected and then usually only in a very chronic form. Wallis Hoare [1913] writes
that the symptoms of surra in cattle are by no means constant or well marked as
they vary from a healthy carrier condition to acute clinical forms and that the
mortality amongst cattle in India, if any, is extremely small. The parasite,
however, can live for a considerable time in the blood of Indian cattle, which
appear to have acquired great tolerance to it. Specially selected cattle from
India, in the best of condition, have been found to be the carriers of trypanosomes
in their blood after they have travelled to America. During an epizootic in
Mauritius, the mortality amongst cattle was comparatively high, reaching 25 to
30 per cent. ; and if they had to do hard work, it reached 75 to 80 per cent.
Sampath Ayyangar [1919] records an outbreak of surra in a herd of 1,070
head of cattle in Ramnad District in the Madras Presidency of which about one
hundred died between March 20th and 23rd June, 1918. All the affected animals
showed practically the same symptoms. Initially there was fever, watery dis-
charge from the eyes and nostrils, staring coat and congestion of the conjunctiva.
These symptoms are generally overlooked by the ryots since the animals continue
to feed. After a week or so, the animals become emaciated at which stage the
ryots realise that there is something wrong with the animals. At the third week
there is great emaciation, oedematous swellings at the submaxilliary space and
the dewlap and complete inability to get up followed by death. Death is pre-
ceded by tympany and sometimes diarrhoea. No affected animal was ever
known to be off feed.
In the same article, this author makes mention of other outbreaks of surra
in cattle which occurred in the Godavari District in the year 1916. In these
outbreaks, the animals were suspected to have died of anthrax or haemorrhagic
septicaemia, but microscopical examination revealed surra to be the cause of
these outbreaks.
Janaki Rama Ayyar [1919] recalls his experience of outbreaks of bovine
surra which occurred in Arkonum Taluk in Chingleput District, Madras, in
November 1915 and says that more than a hundred cattle died in one village in the
course of one month. Bullocks taken to the plough early in the morning, worked
in the fields till about 9-30 A.M. when they appeared to be dull and slack and
showed a disinclination to work. The ryot took the bullock home and put it
into a shed. Soon after arrival, the symptoms became more grave. The tem-
perature went up to 105° F. and signs of restlessness were observed which
gradually turned to delirium. The animal dashed against the wall or the ground
with head foremost and died within two or three hours after its return home.
The high temperature, rapid termination and heavy mortality led to the
diagnosis of anthrax or haemorrhagic septicaemia. However, blood smears,
on examination, showed surra parasites in large numbers.
BOVINE SURRA IN INDIA, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF RECENT
OUTBREAK.
161
Venkatachala Ayyar [1920] says that bovine surra is quite likely to be mis-
taken for splenic apoplexy or the latent form of haemorrhagic septicaemia and
that outbreaks of pure trypanosomiasis can occur among cattle and cause fatal
results. The outbreak occurred in Gannavaram Taluk, Kistna District, Madras;
in September 1919 and out of a total of about 2,500 head of buffaloes, there were
eight deaths. Perfectly healthy animals were suddenly attacked and they
showed high temperature, symptoms of abdominal pain, sterterous breathing
and groaning and death took place in from 6 to 12 hours after the commence-
ment of the attack and the blood smears showed trypanosomes. He adds that
the village where the outbreak occurred was very backward from a sanitary point
of view and conducive to the breeding of flies, that it was damp and marshy and
situated on the side of an irrigation canal.
Venkataratnam Chetty [1922] records an outbreak of cattle surra in the
Corporation bullocks in Madras. Out of a total of 111 animals attacked, 101
died, i.e., nearly 90 per cent. mortality. The symptoms shown in this outbreak
seem to have varied considerably and the recorder places his cases in seven different
groups. In the first group, which represented the hyper-acute form of the disease,
animals in the best of health dropped down dead while at work, thus giving no
previous warning about their condition, the only indication of the cause of death
being the blood which was found to swarm with trypanosomes. In the last group,
the affected animals had a chronic course of the disease characterised by pro-
gressive anaemia, loss of condition, irregular feeding and fever, tenderness over
the loins and back, oedema of the legs, diarrhoea and death from exhaustion.
In the intermediary groups, the symptoms varied from those of nervous excitement
to those of colic, sleepiness and paralysis of the hind quarters.
Mukerji [1924] records an outbreak of cattle surra in Patna District which
occurred during the month of September 1923. The important feature of this
outbreak was that the affected cattle died suddenly and the symptoms simulated
those of anthrax or snake-bite. Cattle of all ages were affected. Animals feed-
ing in the stall or grazing in the pasture or working in the fields suddenly became
ill, staggered, fell down, and died in convulsions in 2 to 4 hours. In this outbreak
the disease was noticed to attack cattle, buffaloes as well as equines.
Pillai [1926] reports that an old Indian bullock died suddenly of surra in
Penang in 1925. One night, after its usual feed, the animal suddenly
developed symptoms of wild excitement, struggled for some time and died.
The author observes that surra is not common in Penang, and that this
particular animal, having been imported from India, must have been harbouring
the parasites for a long time without showing symptoms of ill-health.
The Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Punjab, for the
year 1926-27 contains the following information : " During the year under
report, 1,380 deaths were reported from surra in bovine animals from the Gurgaon