INCIDENCE AND TYPES OF DENTAL AFFECTIONS IN CATTLE

LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010, TIMIŞOARA INCIDENCE AND TYPES OF DENTAL AFFECTIONS IN CATTLE S. TUNS Sanitary-veterinary circumscription, Boiu Mare, Maramures County, Romania Summary There has been performed an epidemiological study on 3520 bovines of various sexes, ages and breeds with the incidence and types of dental disorders. For the identification of the cases there has been performed a clinical general examination, and for the cases with dental and oral disorders we applied to a detailed stomatological examination and the obtained data have been registered on a sheet specially designed for that purpose. The obtained result shows that 34.51% of the investigated cattle population does present one or more dental disorders. The incidence is related to the age and varies depending on the kind of disorder, from 12.77% up to the age of four years, to 29.39-50.27% after this age. Among the disorders, there prevail the ones of degenerative type, among which the dental scale has an incidence of over 77%, followed by the pathological wear (4.77%). The breeding system influences the incidence and the types of dental disorders. In the home type systems prevails the incidence of the dental scale and of the pathological wear, whilst in the ones of industrial type, prevail the periodontites and the traumatic affections. Key words: epidemiological, dental disorders, cattle The dental pathology in cattle, although actual and subject of few studies (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16), is very little known in our country, not existing directed research in this field. The importance and the zoological and economical implications are also unknown, as is the influence of certain soil, water and ration pollutants on cattle dentition. Considering these, it results that the incidence of dental affections is correlated with the nutritional deficiencies, the viral and bacterial infections and with the presence of certain pollutant agents in the ration (5, 8, 14, 15, 17, 18). Based on these arguments, it was appreciated that the initiation of an epidemiologic study on a cattle population from an area comprising polluted industrial areas as well as non-polluted rural areas would be very opportune, thus bringing interest and scientific contributions for the veterinary medicine, as well as for the compared medicine. Materials and methods The research included 3,520 cattle, of different age, sex and breed, from the Boiu Mare Plateau and the Baia Mare Depression area (Table 1), for which, by general clinical examination and dental examination were noted the current state, the appetite and the feeding behavior, the general appearance of the head, the facial symmetry, the symmetry of the lips and of the nostrils, the odor of the oral cavity, the appearance of the mucous membranes (color, integrity), the shape and color of the teeth, the relation between the gum and the tooth, the length of the crown, the triturating surface, the pretension and the chewing patterns. 304

LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010 TIMIŞOARA Disorders were found in 1.215 cattle and therefore was initiated the detailed examination of the oral cavity and of the teeth, using to this purpose oral speculum, frontal light, dental mirror, elevators and probes for exploration. 305

LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010, TIMIŞOARA Results and discussions The epidemiologic study performed on a population of 3,520 cattle in the Baia Mare Depression and the Boiu Mare Plateau shows that 34.51% of the animals suffer from one or even several dental affections, whose incidence varies depending on the age and the category of affections (Table 2). To be noted a significant augmentation of the incidence of dental affections with the age. Up to the age of four, the dental anomalies and the traumatic affections are more common, and after four years more common are the degenerative and periodontal affections, whose incidence varies from 12.77% to 50.27% at the age of over ten years (Table 2). The distribution of the dental affections incidence on sexes shows that females are more affected than males, a fact that is explained by the exploitation age that is much shorter for the bulls raised to be fatten, who usually do not live more than 2 or 3 years. Regarding the incidence depending on breeds, the data obtained show a more increased incidence (43.36%) in cattle of Romanian Spotted breed and in its half-breeds, in comparison to the Maramures Brown breed, in which the incidence does not exceed 32.87% (table 3). The distribution of the affections on the studied breeds is heterogenous, remarking an increased incidence of degenerative affections in the population of Brown breed cattle. The obtained epidemiologic data, correlated with the breeding and exploitation systems show that the incidence of the dental affections is much more elevated in cattle populations from small family farms, holding 1 to 5 cattle, in comparison with the farms holding 5 to 15, respectively over 15 cattle, where the incidence does not exceed 12% (Table 3). Differences are also maintained regarding the type or category of dental affections. Thus, it is noted that in small farms predominate the degenerative affections and the disorders of wear in time, whilst in bigger farms predominate the traumatic and inflammatory affections. The more increased incidence of affections in smaller farms can be attributed to the feeding system, predominantly based on fibrous ration and on grazing, whilst in bigger farms, of industrial type, predominates the silos and soilage feeding. Another explanation can be given by the age structure and by the exploitation duration, which in smaller, family farms, usually exceeds 8 years, the exploitation system being extensive, whilst in bigger farms, few cows are kept to be exploited over 3-4 lactation periods, respectively 6-8 years. The distribution of the dental affections incidence in cattle populations of the two areas included in the study indicates the fact that in the Baia Mare Depression it is of 38.11%, while in Boiu Mare Plateau the incidence does not exceed 22.68% (Table 4). While regarding the distribution on types of affections, it is observed that in the Boiu Mare area the incidence of degenerative type affections is more increased (55.91%), where the teeth wear pathology predominates, and in the Baia Mare area predominate the periodontal affections (30.32%). These affections can be duet to: In the first case, to the extensive-type maintenance system, based on fibrous matters and grazing, and in the second case, due to the pollutant factors in the urban industrial area. 306

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LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010, TIMIŞOARA Conclusions From the epidemiologic study performed on a population of 3,520 cattle, results that 34.51% of them suffer from one or several dental affections. The incidence of the types of affections is in correlation with the age and with the breeding and exploitation system: up to the age of 4-5 years old, the dental anomalies and traumatic affections predominate, and after 5 years predominate the degenerative and periodontal affections. From the distribution of dental affections on breeds, results that more predisposed to these affections are the White and Red Spotted breed cattle, in comparison with the Maramures Brown breed. The area and the breeding and exploitation systems may influence the incidence and the types of affections as follows: in the small farms predominate the generative affections, and in bigger farms, of industrial type and from the urban area, predominate the periodontal affections. References 1. Andrews, A.H., Veterinary dentistry, In WB Harvey CE (eds.), Philadelphia, WB Saunders Co, 1985, pp. 256-271. 2. Blowey, R.W., Weaver, A.D., A colour Atlas of Diseases an Disorders of Cattle. Wolfe Publishing Limited, Ltd., 1991, pp. 7-16, 49-60, 104, 217. 3. Boley, L.T., Bovine tooth capping, Med. Vet. Pract., 1962, 43, 8, 47-49. 4. Brown, W.A., Christofferson, P.V., Postnatal tooth development in cattle. Am. J. Vet. Res. 1960, 21, 0, 7-34. 5. Döbereiner, J., The etiology of "Cara inchada, a periodontal disease of young cattle in Brasil, Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 1990, 97, 11, 482-90. 6. Gängler, P., Probst, C., Hoppert, K.D., Comparative studies of the oral enviroment in domestic and wild animals, Zahn. Mund. Kieferheilkd Zentralbl, 1987, 75, 4, 323-30. 7. Garlick, N.L., The teeth of the ox in clinical diagnosis III, Developmental anomalies and general pathology, Am J Vet Res, 1954, 15, 500-508. 8. Ghergariu, S., Bazele patologiei medicale a animalelor, Ed. All. Bucureşti. 1994, pp. 75-82. 9. Gibbson, W.J., Catcott, E.J., Smithcors, J.F., Bovine medicine and surgery, American Veterinary Publications Inc., 1970, pp. 409-417. 10. Gould, P.W., Spence, J.A., Aitchison, S.U., Incisor tooth loss in cows, Vet. Rec., 1987, 120, 8A, 191-192. 11. Gruia, I.V., Cercetări asupra afecńiunilor dentare la taurine sacrificate întrun abator din Banat, Lucr. diplomă, F.M.V. Timişoara, 1978. 12. Igna, C., AfecŃiunile cavităńii orale. În: Clinica şi terapeutica chirurgicală, partea a II-a. Vol. I. Patologia Capului (Bolte, S., Igna, C.), Ed. Mirton, Timişoara, 1993, pp. 19-92. 310

LUCRĂRI ŞTIINłIFICE MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ VOL. XLIII (1), 2010 TIMIŞOARA 13. Jones, T.O., Oral lesions in cattle, Vet Rec, 2002, 150, 8, 255. 14. Jubb, K.V.F., Kenedy, P.C., The upper alimentary system, In: Pathology of the Domestic Animals, 2 nd ed., vol. 2, New York Academic Press, 1970, pp. 1-44. 15. Krook, L., Maylin, G.A., Industrial fluoride pollution, Chronic fluoride poisoning in Cornwall Island cattle, Cornell Vet., 1979, 69, Suppl. 8(0): 1-70. 16. Müller, H.H., Schalla, K., Non carious neck lesions of the incisor teeth of domestic cattle, Berl. Munch tierararztl Wochenschr, 1998, 111, 2, 45-7. 17. Shupe, J.L., Fluorosis, J. Anim. Sci., 1980, 51, 3, 746-758. 18. Suttie, J.W., Clay, A.B., Shearer, T.R., Dental fluorosis in bovine temporary teeth, Am. J. Vet. Res., 1985, 46, 2, 404-8. 311