The occurrence, nature and location of foreign bodies contained in the reticulum were investigated in 2, 037 clinically healthy cows subjected to mass-screening with an X-ray car for large animals over a period from January, 1981 to November, 1982. These cows were kept in the Soya, Bekkai, Kushiro, Saroma, Ashoro and Obihiro districts of Hokkaido.
Metallic foregin bodies (MFB), sand-like substance, and magnet were observed in the reticulum in 83.7%, 100%, and 42.0% of the cows, respectively. In 922 cows with MFB and sand-like substance in the reticulm, MFB perforating the reticular wall, MFB penetrating the “honey-comb” papilla and MFB lying free in the reticulum were seen in 1.6%, 46.2%, and 52.2% of the cows, respectively. In 746 caws with MFB, sand-like substance and magnet in the reticulum, MFB perforating the reticular wall, MFB penetrating the “honey-comb” papilla, nonferrous MFB, and all MFB attracted to magnet were noticed in 1.3%, 4.7%, 10.6%, and 83.4%, respectively. In 50.6% of 622 cows with all the MFB in the reticulum attracted to magnet, MFB attached to and projected from the magnet.
These resulrs suggested that the oral administration of a magnet might be effective for the prevention and treatment of digestive disorders and traumatic diseases caused by MFB in the reitculum.
View full abstract