Nutritional Anemia in Cattle in Southeastern Massachusetts

Abstract

A disease of cattle locally known as “neck ail,” of long standing in certain localities of southeastern Massachusetts, has been described and shown to be identical with nutritional anemia of cattle occurring in various widely scattered portions of the world and known by various names. The disease is characterized by emaciation, loss of appetite, and a diminution in the red blood cells and in the hemoglobin content of the blood of affected animals. It is caused by an insufficient amount of iron in the native forage which in turn is due to a very low content of iron in the soils on which the forage is grown. As with cases reported by other investigators, spectacular recovery has followed the administration of iron compounds to the affected animals. Addition of an iron compound (iron ammonium citrate) to soils from farms where the disease had occurred, resulted in a uniform large increase in the percentage of iron in grasses grown on these soils. This suggests an alternative method for prevention of the disease. © 1938, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.