Sulfur Induced Polioencephalomalacia in Weaned Beef Heifers Eating Corn Gluten Feed

Abstract

This research was initiated due to the occurrence of clinical cases of polioencephalomalacia diagnosed by the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The majority of these cases were caused by the consumption of corn gluten feed containing toxic levels of sulfur. Although there are numerous references to corn byproducts causing polioencephalomalacia, no reports of controlled studies using high sulfur corn gluten feed to reproduce clinical disease were found. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of feeding corn gluten feed with moderate to high levels of sulfur on the incidence of polioencephalomalacia and severity and distribution of brain lesions. Also evaluated was the effect different levels of sulfur has on copper, selenium, and zinc levels in 400 pound heifers. Also, the use of hydrogen detector tubes to measure the hydrogen sulfide content of the rumen gas cap and analysis of breath samples after breathing filtered air for evidence of sub-clinical lung damage were examined.