Are Bovine Calves Ideal Bio-Indicators for Endemic Fluorosis?

Authors: Choubisa SL*

DOI: 10.23880/oajvsr-16000262

Volume 9, Issue 1

Abstract

Fluoride occurs naturally in water, rocks, and soils or from modern industrial processes, such as such as coal burning power generation stations, and manufacture of steel iron, aluminium, zinc, phosphorus, chemical fertilizers, bricks, glass, plastics, cement, hydrofluoric acid, etc. Long-term regular exposure to fluoride through fluoride-contaminated drinking water and airborne fluoride can cause serious and disabling health effects in both humans and animals. However, in mammalian species, the skeleton in particular is relatively more sensitive or susceptible; growth on the bones and fusion of the joints cause lameness and lack of mobility at an early age. Teeth can become severely worn and damaged, often losing their enamel. Fluorosis has been well studied at different fluoride concentrations in drinking waters in different species of domestic animals, such as cattle (Bos Taurus), water buffalo (Bubals bubalis), sheep (Ovis Aries), goat (Capra hircus), camel (Camelus dromedaries), horse (Equus caballus), donkey (E. asinus), etc. Recent studies indicate that among these animals, bovines (cattle and buffalo) are found to be relatively less tolerant to fluoride toxicity and suffer from more severe fluorosis than other animal species. Their calves are also found to be relatively more sensitive to fluoride toxicity than immature animals or juveniles of other species. Cattle and buffalo calves were found to suffer from dental fluorosis even at fluoride concentrations less than 1.5 ppm in drinking water and a relatively high prevalence of 58.42% and 62.82%, respectively was observed. Therefore, bovine calves can be considered an ideal bio-indicator for endemic fluorosis as they show the earliest pathognomonic sign of chronic fluoride intoxication in the form of dental fluorosis compared to other animal species. Whether fluorosis is endemic in any geographical province or region can be interpreted from the evidence of dental fluorosis in bovine calves, which is highlighted and focused in the present editorial.

Keywords: Bio-Indicator; Bovine Calves; Dental Fluorosis; Drinking Water; Fluoride; Fluorosis; Industrial Fluoride Pollution; Skeletal Fluorosis

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