Iodine Deficiency in Newborn Sheep and Swine

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Abstract
The gross and microscopic anatomy and iodine content of the thyroid glands of over 300 newborn lambs and over 400 newborn pigs in 3 central Indiana sheep flocks and 2 swine herds were studied. The normal thyroid of the newborn lamb is reported to weigh between 1 and 2 g. and to contain between 0.2 and 0.3% I on a dry wt. basis. Of 234 lamb thyroids from ewes fed commonly-used rations not supplemented with I, 55% weighed more than 2 g. and only 3% contained 0.2% I. Only 12% of the glands appeared normal histologically. Similar increases in thyroid size, reductions in I content, and histological changes were observed in newborn swine. Use of stabilized iodized salt reduced the occurrence of these changes. The commonly recognizable clinical evidences of I deficiency such as hairlessness and scanty wool were not common. Correlations of-0.321 and -0.35 between I content and thyroid wt. were found in lambs and pigs, respectively. The correlations between I content and height of the thyroid epithelium were -0.646 and -0.525 in lambs and pigs, respectively.

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