Acute enteritis and deaths in sheep from Salmonella hindmarsh associated with oral dosing with zinc oxide

Authors: Jagusch KT, MacLean KS, Gray MG, Neilson FJA
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 33, Issue 9, pp 148-149, Sep 1985
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Abdomen, Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Bacterial, Inflammation, Integument/skin/wool/hair/fur/feather, Disease/defect, Mycotoxicosis, Liver/hepatic disease, Fungal/yeast, Mortality/morbidity, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Photosensitivity, Toxicology, Infectious disease, Trace elements, Minerals/elememts, Zoonosis, Public health
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: The administration of zinc salts to sheep at the time they are exposed to spores of Pithomyces chartarum will reduce the amount of liver damage from the mycotoxin contained in these spores. It is a recommended practice in facial eczema susceptible areas of New Zealand. We wish to report a suspected outbreak of salmonellosis that occurred only in a ZnO-dosed group of trial animals and suggest that there may be an association between ZnO administration and salmonellosis. An investigation was initiated by the Research Division of the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (proposer K.T. Jagusch) to determine the possible contributions of mycotoxins of P. chartarum and Fusarium spp. towards poor reproductive performance of ewes on low altitude (300 metres above sea level) farms in the Gisborne area. The experimental design incorporated a facial eczema susceptible farm (FE) and a farm on which facial eczema has not occurred (NFE). Three groups of 68 ewes were selected…

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