Evaluation of promising biochemical markers of nutritional osteodystrophy in goats.

Highlights • Stall-fed goats reared mainly on cereal rich concentrate mixture can develop fibrous osteodystrophy (FO). • Decreased Ca:P ratio and elevated ALP activity in view of clinical signs are diagnostic markers of FO in goats. • Biochemical analysis along with radiological examination could confirm FO in goats. Abstract Fibrous osteodystrophy (FO), a metabolic bone disorder, has been reported in different animal species with variable susceptibility. Albeit, it is commonly reported in horses, the clinical disease is also recorded globally in goats. Diagnosis of fibrous osteodystrophy is mainly based on various clinical examination methods including biochemical alterations which can be adopted as routine diagnostic method. Therefore, the present study was aimed to investigate calcium: phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity as biochemical diagnostic markers in goats diagnosed for fibrous osteodystrophy by clinical and radiological examinations. Blood samples were obtained from 11 goats diagnosed to have clinical fibrous osteodystrophy and 10 healthy goats, and used for harvesting serum. Goats with fibrous osteodystrophy revealed markedly elevated serum phosphorus level and ALP activity, and lowered calcium level in comparison to healthy goats. Remarkably lower serum Ca:P ratio was also observed in diseased goats. Radiological examination of skull of diseased goats revealed radio-lucent areas on the mandible as well as the upper jaw. In conclusion, marked reduction in Ca:P ratio and elevation in ALP activity could be promising biochemical diagnostic marker of fibrous osteodystrophy in goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]