Navel Hernias

[IluvABbeef]

Anyone ever heard of calves getting navel hernias? More so, having any calves to go into surgery to get a N.H fixed?

Usually the hernias I've heard about are only about the size of two fingers, but this one the vet Dr. B had to operate on was a little over the size of the length of my whole hand. Dr. B told the owner (upon being asked) that the occurance of these hernias is genetic; it had nothing to do with feed or birthing problems nor mineral deficiencies. Anyway, Dr. B spent a good couple hours putting the stomach membrane back together, and another half hour trying to get the calf to breath again after it stopped breathing a half a dozen times on him. The heart stopped too a couple times. And thought the calf had really gone on us once. But luckly, all of a sudden the calf came back and was up and about in the trailer when me and another assistant had to give him a vacc. He was a Charolais calf, btw. Purebred Char.

A bit of interesting info that I learned today that I thought I'd share.

 

[TheBullLady]

Unfortunately I'm well versed with navel hernias.. anyone that's had Brahman or Brahman influenced cattle has knowledge of them! Knock on wood, it's been a few years since they've fixed one for me at A & M, but they do quite a few of them also.

Unusual for it to have been a Charlois.. I wouldn't have suspected that! But I'm not so sure about it being hereditary, as the ones that I've had over the years haven't been traceable to a certain genetic. Just pretty much random.

 

[novatech]

Unfortunately I'm well versed with navel hernias.. anyone that's had Brahman or Brahman influenced cattle has knowledge of them! Knock on wood, it's been a few years since they've fixed one for me at A & M, but they do quite a few of them also.

Unusual for it to have been a Charlois.. I wouldn't have suspected that! But I'm not so sure about it being hereditary, as the ones that I've had over the years haven't been traceable to a certain genetic. Just pretty much random.

I have an F1 braford the same way. Well maybe not a hernia but a hole that lets fluid into the navel. My vet also said it was genetic and not to retain the heifer.
If this occurs more in brahman and brahman influenced cattle then wouldn't that indicate that it was genetic?

 

[milkmaid]

I've seen a handful of them. Not uncommon. They can be caused by trauma - ie throwing the calf to the ground in the first day of life when the navel area isn't completely closed yet - or they can be genetic.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Unfortunately I'm well versed with navel hernias.. anyone that's had Brahman or Brahman influenced cattle has knowledge of them! Knock on wood, it's been a few years since they've fixed one for me at A & M, but they do quite a few of them also.

Unusual for it to have been a Charlois.. I wouldn't have suspected that! But I'm not so sure about it being hereditary, as the ones that I've had over the years haven't been traceable to a certain genetic. Just pretty much random.

I have an F1 braford the same way. Well maybe not a hernia but a hole that lets fluid into the navel. My vet also said it was genetic and not to retain the heifer.
If this occurs more in brahman and brahman influenced cattle then wouldn't that indicate that it was genetic?

Dr. B was saying something similar to the client with this calf. But he more asked if the cow had calves like this (mind you, on a smaller scale), and what kind of bull he was using.

Yes I agree it does seem too random to be genetic, but apparently there seems to be no other way to explain it. I do remember the boss telling this client that this calf was born with the incompletely closed abdominal membrane; since the fella said the birth went smoothly.

 

[TCTara]

I've seen hernias in many animals, most often Holsteins, but I have seen it in certain Charolais herds, usually tied to a certain herd bull. I've always believed that some cases are heritable. Others are associated with infection, trauma etc. Likely a low heritability trait.