Comparative pathology of the spleen and lymph nodes of apparently normal cattle, sheep and goats at the time of normal slaughter

• Published in: Small ruminant research Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 167 - 174
• Main Authors: Al-Sadi, H.I., Ridha, A.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1994
• Subjects: cattle; Goat; goats; hemosiderosis; histopathology; lesions; lymph nodes; Lymphoid tissue; lymphosarcoma; meat carcasses; Pathology; Sheep; Slaughter; spleen; Iraq; Pathology; Sheep; Goat; Lymphoid tissue; Slaughter
• ISSN: 0921-4488; 1879-0941
• DOI: 10.1016/0921-4488(94)90107-4

A pathological study was conducted on the spleen and lymph nodes of randomly obtained bovine ( n=76), ovine ( n=103) and caprine ( n=100) carcasses. Splenic amyloidosis was found in cattle and it was of the nodular (‘sago’ spleen) form. Hemosiderosis of the spleen was noted in cattle, sheep and goats. Hydatid cysts were observed in the spleen of sheep and goats. Specific conditions involving the bovine lymph nodes included tuberculosis, actinobacillosis and lymphosarcoma. Hemosiderosis and melanosis of the lymph nodes were found in sheep and goats. Reactive hyperplasia (follicular, paracortical and medullary cord types) of the lymph nodes was seen in sheep and goats. Caseous lymphadenitis and nymphal linguatulosis of the ovine lymph nodes were seen. It was concluded that significant lesions occur in the spleen and lymph nodes of apparently healthy cattle, sheep and goats and that some of these lesions make the spleen and lymph nodes unfit for human consumption. Furthermore, a great variation exists between the types of lesions of the spleen and lymph nodes in cattle as compared to those in sheep and goats.