Osteochondrosis and Arthrosis in Pigs

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Abstract
The effect of overloading on the distal epiphyseal plate of the ulna is described. The right forelegs of 6 pigs were fixed such that the pigs were forced to walk on 3 legs during 2 periods, the first of 12 days duration at about 50 kg live weight, and the second of 7 days at about 100 kg live weight. Osteochondrosis developed to a more marked degree in the left than in the right epiphyseal plate of the ulna, but this did not lead to reduced lengthwise growth of the bones to any great extent. The overloading led to reversible changes in the distal epiphyseal plate of the ulna. It is conceivable that this was due to disturbances in the metaphyseal blood flow. It is also conceivable that the overloading was neither great enough nor of sufficient duration to affect the epiphyseal blood flow with consequential irreversible damage to, and premature closure of, the epiphyseal plate.

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