Atresia ani

[Silver]

Had heard about atresia ani before, but had never seen it until we had one born with it a couple of days ago. When the calf was born I saw that she only had a very short deformed tail that was curled and stiff. I immediately looked for an anus and thought I saw one but it was an illusion. I think if the calf would have had a proper tail (something also didn't appear right with the last few vertebrae before the tail) I may have attempted to operate.
After I skinned the calf to use the hide for a graft job I opened the anus and feces immediately started to flow. I think I could have stitched up a fistula and nursed it along… however, the cow now has a new healthy calf with a tail and a functioning anus so I believe I took the best path.

 

[wbvs58]

Had heard about atresia ani before, but had never seen it until we had one born with it a couple of days ago. When the calf was born I saw that she only had a very short deformed tail that was curled and stiff. I immediately looked for an anus and thought I saw one but it was an illusion. I think if the calf would have had a proper tail (something also didn't appear right with the last few vertebrae before the tail) I may have attempted to operate.
After I skinned the calf to use the hide for a graft job I opened the anus and feces immediately started to flow. I think I could have stitched up a fistula and nursed it along… however, the cow now has a new healthy calf with a tail and a functioning anus so I believe I took the best path.

I had one years ago when I was starting with my herd from mixed sources and I believe this calf was BVD affected, whether a PI or later inutero infection where you just get defects. It was a runty calf not worth trying to save.

Ken

 

[Silver]

I had one years ago when I was starting with my herd from mixed sources and I believe this calf was BVD affected, whether a PI or later inutero infection where you just get defects. It was a runty calf not worth trying to save.

Ken

Interesting. I have read that it can be caused by BVD. This was an otherwise nice ~100 lb calf that was quite healthy other than an inability to do her business.

 

[farmerjan]

Had a sow have a litter of pigs once, and she had 2 piglets without an anus. Sold her after she raised the rest of the litter up and sold all the pigs as feeders. She was related to other sows I had, never had another one... the boar had been used before that litter also, and never had anymore from him either... so assume it was a "sickness" maybe that caused it...