UNAIR NEWS – The Swine and Ruminant Care (SRC) Division of the Veterinary Medicine Students’ Association (HMKH) Universitas Airlangga PSDKU in Banyuwangi held another National Webinar with the main topic of Stillbirth and Fetal Malformation in Cows. The speaker was FKH UNAIR veterinary reproduction expert, Dr. Abdul Samik, drh., M.Si.
At the beginning of the presentation, Dr. Samik said that a series of processes from the beginning of pregnancy to the birth process are very challenging and risky. Stillbirth and fetal malformation are one of the risks.
The development of the embryo and fetus, he continued, can be influenced by various factors. Environment, hormones, genetics, and infection are the main factors that often cause reproductive disorders, especially on ruminants.
“Fetal death or intrauterine stillbirth is not usually followed by abortus, but the fetus is retained in the uterus. This condition occurs around the 43rd day of pregnancy. Usually, early fetal death can be followed by resorption of fetal fluid and autolysis of fetal tissues and membranes, which sometimes go undetected,” said Dr. Samik.
Furthermore, Dr. Samik said that stillbirth may happen during labor process. Such condition occurs when the calf dies after 272 days of pregnancy.
The dead fetus that is not treated immediately can result in fetal mummification. This condition occurs at 3-8 months of gestation.
“The causes can be various such as genetic factors; torsion or compression of the umbilical cord which passes through the extremities of the fetus; infectious diseases such as campylobacter fetus, fungi, BVD-MD virus, and leptospirosis; or trauma during pregnancy in cows,” said Dr. Samik.
Mummification therapy, he explained, can be done by manually removing the fetus with some fluid therapy or antibiotics.
In the next discussion, Dr. Samik mentioned that the development of fetal malformation often goes undetected. The development of technology in the form of ultrasound is very helpful to see the development and changes in the structure of the fetus’ body.
“In certain cases, the abnormality is not visible until some time after birth. Consequently, prenatal death and dystocia may affect the calf’s survivability. The calf being born may be less economical to take care of or may transmit the defect to its offspring,” explained Dr. Samik.
Approximately 1% of calves born, he said, suffer from congenital defects.
Some conditions of fetal malformations include:
- Schistosomus Reflexus (opened abdomen and chest)
- Achondroplasia (skeletal dysplasia causing short bone growth/dwarfism)
- Hydrocephalus (accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the brain)
- Cleft palate (failure to fuse the palate from the mouth)
- Arthrogryposis (bent spine, small and thin calves, impaired muscle growth)
- Syndactyly (fusion or absence of splitting of the toes)
- Polydactyly (an abnormal condition in which a cow is born with one or more extra fingers)
- Microphthalmia and Anophthalmia (abnormal eye formation; small eyes (one or both) or eyes without orbit)
- Epitheliogenesis Imperfecta (epidermal disease with fissures and blisters within the basal cells of the basement membrane and metabolic disease affecting dermal fibroblasts)
- Freemartin (birth of male and female twins; more than 90% of the sterile female; the male hormones suppressing the growth of female organ tract cells due to the union of the placenta)
- and other conditions
Autho: Muhammad Suryadiningrat
Editor: Nuri Hermawan (YA/AP)
