Paul Reynolds, [07 Jul 2024 at 16:18:10]: Hello all. Spontaneous fractures in wildebeest. The animals were running and then fractured both hind legs in mid-run. (I saw this happening with my own eyes). Where do we start? Is there a lab to which I can submit bone samples? Will they pick problems up in bone.? Black wildebeest were the only animals affected. (sable, oryx, blesbok, ostrich, hartebeest also occur on the farm) The animal was shot and showed no visible abnormalities or defects. Are the rings/ridges on this cow horns normal? I have not seen this before – I mostly look at bulls’ horns. Pierre Nel, [08 Jul 2024 at 07:08:29]: I wouldn’t consider it normal. This probably reflects winter/summer phosphate intake. Which area are they from? There are areas where horn fractures especially are significantly higher in animals such as impala, sable, roan and gemsbok, which is probably related to mineral deficiency. Other species except blesbok are not inclined to randomly run as wildebeest do, so on a specific farm it may show up easier in them. Pierre Bester, 8 July 2024 Hallo Paul, I saw fractures in buffalo sub-adults due to high fluoride levels in borehole drinking water. The fractures would not heal. 2 ppm is the limit for human consumption - the boreholes tested 22 ppm! Jacs Mostert, 8 July 2024 ? In-breeding Paul Reynolds, 8 July 2024 Might be a possibility. How would that affect bone health? Hereditary osteoporosis? Thanks for the replies. It was from the Vrede area in the Free State
