Segmental hypoplasia of the spinal cord and syringomyelia in a calf / Hipoplasia segmentar de medula espinhal e siringomielia em um bezerro

Congenital malformations are functional and structural changes in organ systems, tissues, or organs that may develop during the embryonic or fetal phase. Spinal cord malformations, such as segmental hypoplasia of the spinal cord (SHSC) and syringomyelia, are rare in bovines. A Girolando calf from Valença, Rio de Janeiro, was admitted to the Veterinary Hospital of Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro because of motor incoordination. Clinical evaluation revealed a 5-cm depression area in the spine at the dorsal line of the thoracic region. Neurological examination revealed reduced proprioception, pelvic limb extension with increased nociceptive activity, and reduced anal reflex. In radiographic examination, the body of the T11 vertebra had a trapezoidal wedge shape with ventral hemivertebra, probable agenesis or hypoplasia of the T11-T12 spinous processes, and fusion of the T9-T10 spinous processes. Myelography revealed extradural spinal compression caused by vertebral malformations. Necropsy showed no spinous processes (T11-T12), cranial stenosis in the medullary canal (T11-T13), and 1-3-mm pores in the white matter of the thoracic spinal cord (T8-T11). Microscopy revealed cystic dilatations in the white matter (T9-T11), cystic areas of varying sizes (T8-T9), and moderate reduction in the gray matter around the central canal of the medulla (T11-T13). Here, we reported the clinical and pathological findings of SHSC and syringomyelia in a Girolando calf. The features should be differentiated from other spinal cord syndromes. Congenital malformations are of economic importance, and their etiology and diagnosis are fundamental to disease control and progenitor-selection programs.(AU)

Malformações congênitas são alterações funcionais e estruturais dos sistemas, tecidos ou órgãos que podem ocorrer na fase embrionária ou fetal. Malformações na medula espinhal, como hipoplasia segmentar da medula espinhal (HSME) e siringomielia, possuem raras descrições em bovinos. Uma bezerra Girolando, proveniente do Município de Valença, RJ, foi atendida no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), com quadro de incoordenação motora. À avaliação clínica, na coluna vertebral, à linha dorsal da região torácica havia uma área com depressão de 5 cm. Ao exame neurológico foi observado propriocepção reduzida, extensão de membros pélvicos com aumento da atividade nociceptiva e redução de reflexo anal. Ao exame radiográfico, o corpo vertebral T11 apresentou forma trapezoidal em cunha com hemivértebra ventral, provável agenesia ou hipoplasia dos processos espinhosos T11-T12 e fusão dos processos espinhosos T9-T10. À mielografia indicou compressão medular extradural provocada pelas malformações vertebrais. À necropsia não foram observados os processos espinhosos T11-T12, o canal medular apresentou estenose cranial (T11-T13) e, na medula espinhal torácica (T8-T11) foram observados poros de 1-3 mm na substância branca. À microscopia, os segmentos T9-T11 apresentaram dilatações císticas na substância branca e os segmentos T8-T9, formações de áreas císticas de tamanhos variados; nos segmentos T11-T13 denotou-se moderada redução da substância cinzenta ao redor do canal central da medula. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar os achados clínicos e patológicos desta bezerra Girolando com HSME e siringomielia, que devem ser diferenciadas de outras síndromes da medula espinhal. As malformações congênitas possuem importância econômica e sua etiologia e diagnóstico são fundamentais para a condução de programas de controle de doenças e seleção de progenitores.(AU)

Weight gain comparison between heifers fed colostrum or whole milk until weaning

Background: The milk-feeding phase, wherein whole milk is the natural food, is critical to calf development, health, andvitality. However, feeding milk to calves is costly in the rearing system because the milk supplied to calves is not sold. Infarms in which the average production is high, excess colostrum and transitional milk are produced that are used to feedcalves until weaning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of heifers exclusively fed colostrum(including transitional milk) or raw whole milk.Materials, Methods & Results: Immediately after their birth, 83 ear-tagged healthy Holstein Friesian heifers adequatelyreceiving the initial colostrum were separated into two experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 34) was fed only fresh whole milkand group 2 (n = 49) was fed only colostrum diluted in water at a 2:1 ratio. Colostrum was removed from cows until the fifthday after birth and was stored in sanitized disposable plastic bottles, stored in a freezer at -20°C and before administration,the colostrum was thawed. Liquid diets were administered using a bottle twice a day during the first month, namely 2 L inthe morning and 2 L in the afternoon. During the second month, the heifers were fed 4 L once a day in the morning. Theheifers had access to an enclosure with fodder, in addition to concentrate specifically for heifers, which was placed in anindividual trough daily. The leftovers were weighed at the end of the afternoon. The heifers were abruptly weaned whenthey reached a daily intake of 1 kg of concentrate. The heifers were individually weighed at birth and at 30, 60, 90, 120,150, and 180 days. The average weights were 40.4, 54.1, 74.5, 95.1, 108.2, and 126.1 kg in group 1 and 45.4, 58.4, 78.2,95.9, 110.8, and 125.1 kg in group 2. The use of diluted colostrum was satisfactory...

Weight gain comparison between heifers fed colostrum or whole milk until weaning

Background: The milk-feeding phase, wherein whole milk is the natural food, is critical to calf development, health, andvitality. However, feeding milk to calves is costly in the rearing system because the milk supplied to calves is not sold. Infarms in which the average production is high, excess colostrum and transitional milk are produced that are used to feedcalves until weaning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of heifers exclusively fed colostrum(including transitional milk) or raw whole milk.Materials, Methods & Results: Immediately after their birth, 83 ear-tagged healthy Holstein Friesian heifers adequatelyreceiving the initial colostrum were separated into two experimental groups. Group 1 (n = 34) was fed only fresh whole milkand group 2 (n = 49) was fed only colostrum diluted in water at a 2:1 ratio. Colostrum was removed from cows until the fifthday after birth and was stored in sanitized disposable plastic bottles, stored in a freezer at -20°C and before administration,the colostrum was thawed. Liquid diets were administered using a bottle twice a day during the first month, namely 2 L inthe morning and 2 L in the afternoon. During the second month, the heifers were fed 4 L once a day in the morning. Theheifers had access to an enclosure with fodder, in addition to concentrate specifically for heifers, which was placed in anindividual trough daily. The leftovers were weighed at the end of the afternoon. The heifers were abruptly weaned whenthey reached a daily intake of 1 kg of concentrate. The heifers were individually weighed at birth and at 30, 60, 90, 120,150, and 180 days. The average weights were 40.4, 54.1, 74.5, 95.1, 108.2, and 126.1 kg in group 1 and 45.4, 58.4, 78.2,95.9, 110.8, and 125.1 kg in group 2. The use of diluted colostrum was satisfactory...(AU)