Nutrition and Eye Cancer in Cattle

Summary

The association between nutrition and ocular squamous-cell carcinoma and its precursor lesions was investigated with data derived from a 20-year experiment involving 435 range beef cows. The animals were exposed to a variety of winter feeding programs for 1–15 years. A high level of feeding compared to a low level had an important effect on increasing lesion manifestation as well as its rate of increase with age. More animals with more advanced lesions were observed at earlier ages in the higher feeding levels than in a medium or low level. With the cessation of a feeding trial, the lesion manifestation decreased compared with animals remaining on trial. These decreases were more pronounced in the higher levels than in the low feeding level. Animals fed at a high level were also heavier and larger and had a lower survival rate than those fed at a low level, The age-adjusted disposal rate for eye cancer was higher with high levels of feeding (14%) than in the low level (1.5%). Animals fed at a high level also calved earlier and were reproductively superior to those fed at a low level.