Sodium Chloride Poisoning in Cattle

Consumption of a sodium chloride based supplement followed by food and water restriction in yards for over 30 hours, resulted in nervous disorders in 5 of 60 three-year-old steers within hours of being released into a paddock. Clinical signs were associated with polioencephalomalacia which was confirmed in 2 of 3 affected steers by microscopic examination of brains. Oedema of the corpus striatum, thalamus and midbrain was observed in 2 animals, and vascular necrosis with neutrophil invasion into the vessel walls was seen in the cerebrum of one steer. Consideration of the history, clinical signs and necropsy findings resulted in a diagnosis of indirect salt poisoning. The affected animals had the lower body weights in the group.