Vitamin E Deficiency in the Lamb

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Abstract
Nutritional muscular dystrophy in the lamb was produced by using a liquid, purified vitamin E deficient diet. The symptoms of vitamin E deficiency were characterized by low total tocopherol level in blood, disturbance in locomotion, stiffness, paralysis, susceptibility to pneumonia and sudden death. Post mortem examination showed Zenker's degeneration of the skeletal and cardiac muscle. The lesions in the heart were invariably in the right ventricle. Administration of α-tocopherol alleviated the symptoms in 3–5 days to a great extent. A complete regeneration of the muscle is no doubt a process of longer duration. Symptoms and degenerative changes of the so called “Stiff-Lambs” from the field appeared to be identical in every respect with the nutritional muscular dystrophy produced in the lamb on vitamin E deficient diet. Copyright © . .