Complications of horn overgrowth in sheep and goats with special reference to their clinical behavior and surgical management

Abstract EN

Background: Uneven growth of the horns is frequently seen in male sheep and goat of both sexes due to ecological, managemental or genetic reasons.

The aim of the study: To describe the surgical complications, clinical behavior and surgical management of the horn overgrowth in sheep and goats.

Methods: The study was carried out on 16 animals (8 rams and 8 goats) suffering from trauma in the head or the neck region due to unilateral or bilateral horn overgrowth.

The cases were recorded during clinical examination of 94 native rams and 155 native goats of both sexes.

Clinical behavior was based on an ethogram designated for rams and adult goats, and the suitable surgical intervention was performed.

Main results: Wounds in different parts of the head and neck were recorded in 8.5 % of examined rams and 5.2 % of examined goats.

Wounds occurred due to pressure necrosis from the inner surface of the horn or due to penetration from the horn end.

Severity of the wounds was variable depending on the causative trauma.

An ethogram analysis revealed increased circling and head tilting in cases of unilateral overgrown horns, while cases with bilateral overgrown horns suffered from reduced locomotor activity without an obvious effect on the gait.

Results of gait analysis indicated disrupted feet alignment or increased overlapping distance for the hind and forefeet in cases of unilateral but not in case of bilateral overgrowths of the horns.

Conclusion: The study suggested that, good managemental practices such as disbudding or dehorning of the overgrowths avoid the detrimental effect of horn overgrowth on the animal welfare.