ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

DEFICIENCY - GOITRE

• When the diet contains insufficient iodine the production of thyroxine is decreased.
• The main indication of such a deficiency is an enlargement of the thyroid gland, termed endemic goitre, and is caused by compensatory hypertrophy of the gland.
• The thyroid being situated in the neck, the deficiency condition in farm animals manifests itself as a swelling of the neck. 
• Reproductive abnormalities are one of the most outstanding consequences of reduced thyroid function; breeding animals deficient in iodine give birth to hairless, weak or dead young.