Sheep with Crooked Legs: What's Going On Inside?

Some sheep are born with bent legs. This is called angular limb deformities or ALD. It's a problem that can make life harder for these animals. Scientists wanted to know how ALD affects sheep's growth, eating habits, and the vitamins and minerals in their blood. They studied 25 young rams, some with ALD and some without. They checked the sheep's weight and took blood samples at different times. They looked at vitamin D and lots of minerals in the blood, like calcium, magnesium, and copper. The sheep with ALD had more vitamin D and magnesium in their blood at certain times. They also had more chlorine and less copper in their blood overall. But their weight, how much they ate, and most other minerals were the same as the healthy sheep. ALD is a complex issue. It's not just about one thing. It could be about how the sheep is born, its hormones, genes, or what it eats. Scientists need to study more to understand and fix this problem.