Multiple Congenital Anomalies in a Calf

Abstract

A 4-hour-old mixed-breed black heifer calf produced fromin vitro fertilization and born via Caesarian section 6 daysprior to the anticipated due date was euthanized because ofmultiple obvious congenital anomalies and an inability tostand. The number of congenital anomalies was remarkableand included anal and vulvar atresia, hypoplastic clitoral tis-sue, cervical block vertebrae, anotia, brachygnathia inferior,secondary cleft palate, calvarial doming with hydrocephalusand stenosis of the Sylvian aqueduct, high ventricular septaldefect, rectovaginal fistula, and dermal hamartomas.Few previous reports of congenital anomalies in calveshave documented the number and the severity of those seenin this calf. Because development of tissues and organs isinterdependent, it is not uncommon for more than 1 anomalyto appear in an animal. In this calf, several rarely reportedanomalies, such as anotia, vulvar atresia, and dermal ham-artomas, were evident; these anomalies have not been pre-viously documented in cattle.An oocyst from an apparently healthy slaughterhouse cowwas fertilized with sperm from a transgenic bull and implant-ed in a 16-month-old recipient heifer on day 8 of embryodevelopment. Gestation proceeded without any clinical evi-dence of difficulty. The dam was vaccinated