Ruminants

All you need to know about wooden tongue in cattle

What is Wooden Tongue in cattle?

Wooden tongue, or actinobacillosis, is a bacterial disease in cattle that causes the tongue to become hard, swollen, and painful, making it difficult for the animal to eat or drink. The term ‘actino’ in the name, indicates that the inflammation caused by these bacteria results in the formation of pus containing sand-like coarse granules that are clumped colonies of bacteria.

Considered a disease of soft tissue, wooden tongue in cattle (also referred to as “woody tongue in cows”) is found in the mouth region of adult cattle. Although there are more than 22 different bacterial species in this genus, only five (A pleuropneumoniae, A suis, A equuli, A lignieresii, and A seminis) are regularly associated with disease in animals. Actinobacillosis is seen primarily in cattle but also sheep, horses, pigs, and dogs. It is a rare cause of disease in chickens.

Wooden tongue in cattle is the most commonly identified, critical presentation of actinobacillosis. Still, the bacteria can distress soft tissues anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract (including the rumen and reticulum). They may come across as a chronic condition that may last up to six months.

What causes Actinobacillosis in cattle?

Actinobacillosis is caused by the bacteria Actinobacillus lignieresii, which is normally found in the mouth of healthy cattle. These bacteria enter the body via wounds caused in the mouth while eating plant awns, foxtails, or rough weeds. Actinobacillus lignieresii present in the mouth, invades tissue through breaks in the lining of the mouth cavity.

Apart from all these wooden tongue in cattle is also caused by these factors:

Feed: Subpar dry feed, grass seeds, coarse hay, and scrub can cause mouth abrasions. Feeding hay with fibrous stalks or thistles can also lead to outbreaks.
Teeth eruption: Breaks in the gums that occur when young animals’ teeth erupt can also lead to wooden tongue in cattle.

What are the symptoms of wooden tongue in cattle?

Wooden tongue or abscesses usually have a sudden onset. Over time, soft tissue in the tongue is replaced with fibrous tissue, causing it to become hard, shrunken, and immobile. The term “wooden tongue” comes from the changes that occur to the tongue in the disease actinobacillosis.

Here are some symptoms of wooden tongue to look out for in the cattle:

Swollen tongue: In the early stages of a wooden tongue, swollen tissue between the two bones of the lower jaw can cause the appearance of a “bottle jaw.” Bottle jaw is basically a condition in cattle, sheep, and goats that causes fluid swelling under the jaw. The bottle jaw may be confused with a lumpy jaw, but the swelling is much softer.
Drooling: As the condition graduates, the cattle will begin to drool and may have its tongue protruding from its mouth
Lymph node swelling: The lymph nodes around the jaw sometimes get infected, and cause swellings under the skin which can vary in size from a golf ball to a football
Nodules and ulcers: While cattle may appear to be chewing gently, nodules and ulcers may be visible on the tongue. These thick-walled abscesses may break out to the surface and discharge a creamy pus containing the characteristic granules. These abscesses can also occur internally, and when they are detected in the internal lymph nodes during abattoir monitoring, they may be confused with tuberculosis.
Granulomas: or soft tissue areas of inflammation, may form on other parts of the body
Weight loss: Because of the abovementioned symptoms of wooden tongue in cattle, the cattle may lose weight due to dehydration and inability to eat

What is the treatment for wooden tongue in cattle?

The prognosis of actinobacillosis is good if the disease is identified and treated early. Once the actinobacillosis in cattle progresses to chronic, the prognosis becomes poor. The most effective treatment is iodine therapy. Other treatments include:

Surgical drainage: In advanced cases of actinobacillosis in cattle treatment, it may require surgical drainage. Opened abscesses should be irrigated or swabbed with iodine for several days.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory solution: At least in the initial phase non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should also be given to relieve the pain
Herbal treatment: Some herbal plants such as ipomea, acmella caulirhiza, and calotropis procera are also being used for the treatment of actinobacillosis in cattle

How can we prevent wooden tongue in cattle?

Although it might not be possible to completely prevent cattle from grazing rough or coarse silage, vegetation in particular regions poses a significant risk. Here are some of the ways how wooden tongue in cattle can be prevented:

Check and avoid coarse feed and plant awns: Keep the cattle away from prickly, stemmy, or coarse feed, such as hard stubble or hay with lots of stems, and pastures with hard, penetrating plants like foxtails or thistles

Avoid contaminated silage: Soil-contaminated silage, and “weedy” hay/haylage or straw for cattle feed should be avoided to prevent the risk of trauma to mucosal membranes in the mouth
Ensure sufficient iodide: Make sure your cattle have enough iodide in the pasture supplements, such as loose salt-mineral mixes or molasses-based supplements
Isolate infected animals: Isolate infected animals as soon as they show signs of the disease to prevent it from spreading
Treat early: Treatment of actinobacillosis in cattle needs to be done as soon as possible, as advanced cases may not respond to treatment

Conclusion

There is an associated economic loss due to the culling of cattle infected with wooden tongues, and the cost of treatment of those infected. The cattle may require supplementary feeding to bring back the condition score of the animal.

Time is also lost due to extra efforts and time needed to isolate and treat infected cattle and disinfect feed and water troughs.

Here are some of the good practices that can be followed while dealing with the outbreak of the wooden tongue in cattle:

Examine early, and animals with mouth symptoms (excess salivation, difficulty in mastication, etc.) and contact the nearest vet
Isolate the cattle and initiate the course of treatment for the best results
Attempt to identify the predisposing factor always (grazing or feed)
Eliminate it completely even if there’s only one animal affected