LEUKOMYELOPATHY IN ATAXIC CALVES

Seventy-three fattening calves ranging from 6 to 15 months old on a fa rm were affected by ataxia over a period of four months. About 10 atax ic animals recovered after the administration of various kinds of vita mins and needle puncture therapy. The principal lesions in 14 ataxic a nimals examined were characterized by bilateral vacuolation with axona l degeneration confined to the spinal white matter. Ultrastructurally, the vacuoles were present in the periaxonal areas and bounded by diss ociated myelin lamellae. No pathogen was isolated from the visceral or gans of the animals. The serum copper remained within the normal range . Possible etiological factors remain unknown in the ataxic disease.