Vol. 10, Issue 2, Part D (2025)

Author(s): R Mahaprabhu

Abstract: Fifteen buffalo calves died within 30 minutes out of thirty-three buffalo calves after consuming chopped green fodder irrigated with cow dung slurry from a biogas plant at an organized farm near Madhavaram, Chennai, and Tamil Nadu. Eighteen calves showed lateral recumbency with cyanotic changes and died within two hours. The clinical signs included slow breathing and brown discoloration of the conjunctival and oral mucous membranes. Post-mortem examination revealed dark brown carcasses with dark, unclotted blood in the dilated vessels. The chopped green fodder and aqueous humor were analyzed, showing nitrate levels of 2.5 G% and nitrite levels of 5 ppm. A confirmatory diagnosis was made based on clinical signs, post-mortem changes, histopathological examination, high nitrate levels in aqueous humor, and quantitative nitrite analysis in fodder.