An abattoir investigation of the abomasal ulcers and their relationship with age and sex in west Azerbaijan buffaloes

Abomasal ulcer is one of the main gastrointestinal diseases among ruminants in which characterized clinically by hemorrhagia, melena, acute diffuse peritonitis, death and subclinically by indigestion and mild hemorrhagic form. The subclinical form is diagnosed in autopsy or abattoir and more current than clinical form. To determine the types, age and sex distribution of subclinical abomasal ulcer, 258 buffaloes (113 males, 145 females) were selected in Urmia abattoir. Overall, 89 (34.5%) buffaloes including 26 from 113 males and 63 from 145 females showed ulcer in that it was not significantly differences. The percentage of age distribution in abomasal ulcers with 1,2,3,4 and over 4 years was 9%, 5.3%, 30.3, 25.8 and 29.2%, respectively. Abomasal ulcers increase significantly by age of animals (P0.01). The number of buffaloes showed more than one type of ulcer was 1, 8 and 8 animals, in that they were 3, 4 and over 4 years old, respectively. The age distribution of ulcers among males were 3.3%, 2.3%, 10.1%,5.6% and 7.9% and among females were 5.6%, 3.3%, 14.7%, 20.2% and 21.4%, respectively (P0.01). The results of different types of ulcer in each animal showed that 72 (80.9%) with one type, 14 (15.7%) with two and 3 (3.4%) buffaloes with three types of ulcer in abomasum. The sex percentages of types 1 to 4 were 31.1% (13 males, 20 females), 36.8% (13 males, 28 females), 31.1% (4 males, 30 females) and 0.94%, respectively. The maturity of ulcers was observed in the body and least was the pyloric form. The histopathological findings confirmed all macroscopic lesions in abomasum. Type 1 was accompanied by cystic form of abomasal crypts. In type 2 a slight serofibrinos and destruction of abomasal crypt was observed. In type 3 a copious serofibrin around the ulcer and complete destruction of abomasal crypts was seen. Type 4 was accompanied by granules in connective tissue, recovered connective tissue, necrosis, new blood vessels formation and thrombosis. In conclusion, nearly 35% or one from 3 bufalloes revealed at least one type of ulcer in abomasum. Sex difference was not found but abomasal ulcers and their different types increase by the age of animal. The subclinical types of abomasal ulcers were exist up to type 3, whilst type 4 was clinical form and rarely appears in the abattoir.