DIGITAL DERMATITIS IN NELORE CATTLE: EVALUATION OF WEIGHT GAIN, TESTIS AND EPIDIDYMIS MEASURES IN THE POSTOPERATIVE OF INJURIES

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of digital dermatitis on weight gain and relate them to testicular and epididymis measurements in extensively managed bovines. 36 male Nelore cattle from municipality of Quirinópolis, state of Goiás, were used.  The animals were divided into three groups of twelve each.  The animals in groups TI and TII had digital dermatitis.  Those in group TIII were healthy.  The animals in group TI received treatment for digital dermatitis on day one of the experiment while those in group TII remained sick until the day 121, end of the experiment.  The treatment protocol included surgical removal of the compromised tissue followed by bandaging and dressing of the healthy digits.  Local and parenteral antibiotic therapy and passage through a footbath were used in association on the treated animals.  The animals were weighed at the beginning and end of the study to evaluate average daily weight gain (AWG). In addition, at the end of the study an orchiectomy was carried out to obtain measurements of the testicles and epididymus. 121 days after treatment, the TI group animals had significantly greater AWG than group TII or TII.  Of the variables analyzed, only the correlations between the weights of the left and right testicles and those between the left and right epididymus were significant. At the end of the experiment, it can be concluded that the presence of digital dermatitis lesions did not lead to significant changes in the parameters of scrotal circumference, weight, or width and length of the epididymus and testicles.