Comparison of hepatic lesions in veal calves with concentrations of copper, iron and zinc in liver and kidney

Veal calf producers in Indiana have reported condemnation of carcasses due to icterus as well as condemnation of livers because of yellow discoloratio n, hepatomegaly and fibrosis. This study assessed the degree of hepatic inj ury in affected veal calves and correlated it with copper, iron and zinc co ncentrations in the liver and kidney. Tissues examined histopathologically were from slaughtered and necropsied veal calves. Hepatic lesions were divi ded into histopathologic categories of severity (minimal, moderate, marked or severe) based upon the degree of fibrosis, biliary epithelial hyperplasi a, and inflammation. Hepatic copper levels decreased as the severity of les ions increased. The clinical observations and morphologic changes suggested initial hepatic damage before 9 w-of-age. the affected calves either died of acute copper toxicosis or survived to develop hepatomegaly, hepatic disc oloration and/or fibrosis at the time of slaughter.