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Dermatopathy In Juvenile Angus Cattle Due To Vitamin A Deficiency, Thomas J. Baldwin, Kerry A. Rood, E. Jane Kelly, Jeffery O. Hall
Dermatopathy In Juvenile Angus Cattle Due To Vitamin A Deficiency, Thomas J. Baldwin, Kerry A. Rood, E. Jane Kelly, Jeffery O. Hall
Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications
In juvenile cattle, vitamin A deficiency is reported most commonly as a neurological condition; only rarely are there dermatologic manifestations. In the current study, alopecia, severe epidermal and follicular orthokeratosis, and acanthosis due to hypovitaminosis A are reported in 2 of 32 Angus calves, with a third animal suspected. Affected animals responded to vitamin A supplementation, and no additional calves displayed signs. Vitamin A acts on skin by regulating DNA transcription in keratinocytes, reducing the number of tonofilaments and desmosomes, both involved in cell-to-cell adhesion. Hence, adequate levels of dietary vitamin A are necessary for normal keratinocyte turnover, and deficiencies …