Dystrophy of the diaphragmatic muscles in Holstein-Friesian steers.

Diaphragmatic muscles in two slaughtered Holstein-Friesian revealed slightly pale color, swelling, and stiffness on palpation. Histologically the muscle fibers showed internal nuclei, fiber-splitting, variation in diameter, central core-like structures, sarcoplasmic masses, and vacuolar degeneration. These lesions were the same as those in dystrophy of the diaphragmatic muscles in Holstein-Friesian cows. It was demonstrated that muscular dystrophy of the diaphragm in Holstein-Friesian cattle occurred also in males, probably by inheriting an autosomal recessive trait.