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A Severe Spinal Deformity in a Cape Buffalo Calf (Syncerus Caffer) Similar to “Short Spine Lethal” of Angus Cattle (Bos Taurus)
Br. vet.
J.
(1 974), 130, xxiv
A SEVERE SPINAL DEFORMITY IN A CAPE BUFFALO CALF (SYXGERUS GAFFER) SIMILAR TO "SHORT SPINE LETHAL" OF ANGUS CATTLE (BOS TAURUS) By D. M.
JONES
The Zoological Society of London, Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable, Beds.
A three-and-a-half year-old Cape Buffalo heifer (Syncerus caffer) was presented in dystokia. This animal had been mated to its father. Examination of the birth canal was conducted under narcosis induced with a mixture of etorphine and xylazine (Jones, 197 I) and a large dead calf was palpated in the dorsal position but in posterior presentation. Following manipulation to dilate the cervix, the foetus was withdrawn by traction. It was a female weighing 38 kg. Superficial examination of the calf revealed that the lower jaw protruded 2 cm anteriorly to the upper jaw and that there was considerable distortion of the vertebral column and sternum. The cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas of the skeleton were prepared by boiling and the individual bones removed carefully, their relative positions being noted. The cervical vertebrae seemed to be normal. Their centra were already fused but it has been noticed that skeletal development in wild bovine animals at birth is advanced when compared to domestic cattle (Bos taurus). The thoracic part of the vertebral column was considerably distorted, forming an'S' shape. The spines of the first three thoracic vertebrae were bent to the right and the bodies of T2 and T3 were so compressed that the centre had been displaced ventrally. Pairs of small ribs were present corresponding to each of these vertebrae but they were all lying on the right side of the thorax. Rotaton of this part of the column was such that the curvature of the right ribs formed the dorsal border of the thorax. T 4, 5 and 6 appeared to be fused together and were associated with only two pairs of ribs, one pair of which was double, having two heads; T7- 12 were reduced in size, only T7 having a significant spine. TI2 was present in three fragments. These also had ventrally displaced centra. There was a pair of ribs corresponding to each vertebra and the curvature differed on the right and left sides. The majority of the ribs from the left side appeared to be lying on the right side, the initial appearance being of 17 right ribs. The lumbar vertebrae were rotated so that the right transverse processes formed the dorsal border of the back. Liepold & Dennis (1972) describe a deformity of the thoracic vertebrae in an Aberdeen Angus calf following a granddaughter to grandfather mating. The animal was examined by radiography and it was found that the animal had only 8 sternebrae and thoracic vertebrae. No lateral deviation of the vertebral column was recorded. This specimen, in common with the buffalo, had a
SEVERE SPINAL DEFORMITY IN CALVES
xxv
normal appendicular skeleton, but a number of cranial defects were seen including the reduction of one orbit. The head of the buffalo was not examined in detail. Severe spinal deformity involving the whole vertebral column has been described in Norwegian mountain cattle by Mohr & W riedt (1930). They state 'The malformations encountered were so numerous and so irregular that it is impossible to describe them in a satisfactory way'. These authors discuss the pedigree of the bull involved. A number of deformed calves were born when this animal was mated to his daughters. The appendicular skeleton and the cranium in each of these cases was normal. Spinal deformities have also been described in a goat (Capra hircus) (Weber, 1943). It seems probable from these cases that a sporadically occurring recessive gene may cause spinal deformities in three genera of the family Bovidae. REFERENCES
ag, 173.
JONES, D. M. (1971). Vet. Rec., LIEPOLD, H. W. & DENNIS, S. M.
(1972). Cornell Vet. 63, 506.
MOHR, O. M. & WREIDT, C. (1930).). Genet. 22, 279. WEBER, W. (1943) . Schweitz:. Arch. Tierheilk. 85, 472.
J.
(1 974), 130, xxiv
A SEVERE SPINAL DEFORMITY IN A CAPE BUFFALO CALF (SYXGERUS GAFFER) SIMILAR TO "SHORT SPINE LETHAL" OF ANGUS CATTLE (BOS TAURUS) By D. M.
JONES
The Zoological Society of London, Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable, Beds.
A three-and-a-half year-old Cape Buffalo heifer (Syncerus caffer) was presented in dystokia. This animal had been mated to its father. Examination of the birth canal was conducted under narcosis induced with a mixture of etorphine and xylazine (Jones, 197 I) and a large dead calf was palpated in the dorsal position but in posterior presentation. Following manipulation to dilate the cervix, the foetus was withdrawn by traction. It was a female weighing 38 kg. Superficial examination of the calf revealed that the lower jaw protruded 2 cm anteriorly to the upper jaw and that there was considerable distortion of the vertebral column and sternum. The cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas of the skeleton were prepared by boiling and the individual bones removed carefully, their relative positions being noted. The cervical vertebrae seemed to be normal. Their centra were already fused but it has been noticed that skeletal development in wild bovine animals at birth is advanced when compared to domestic cattle (Bos taurus). The thoracic part of the vertebral column was considerably distorted, forming an'S' shape. The spines of the first three thoracic vertebrae were bent to the right and the bodies of T2 and T3 were so compressed that the centre had been displaced ventrally. Pairs of small ribs were present corresponding to each of these vertebrae but they were all lying on the right side of the thorax. Rotaton of this part of the column was such that the curvature of the right ribs formed the dorsal border of the thorax. T 4, 5 and 6 appeared to be fused together and were associated with only two pairs of ribs, one pair of which was double, having two heads; T7- 12 were reduced in size, only T7 having a significant spine. TI2 was present in three fragments. These also had ventrally displaced centra. There was a pair of ribs corresponding to each vertebra and the curvature differed on the right and left sides. The majority of the ribs from the left side appeared to be lying on the right side, the initial appearance being of 17 right ribs. The lumbar vertebrae were rotated so that the right transverse processes formed the dorsal border of the back. Liepold & Dennis (1972) describe a deformity of the thoracic vertebrae in an Aberdeen Angus calf following a granddaughter to grandfather mating. The animal was examined by radiography and it was found that the animal had only 8 sternebrae and thoracic vertebrae. No lateral deviation of the vertebral column was recorded. This specimen, in common with the buffalo, had a
SEVERE SPINAL DEFORMITY IN CALVES
xxv
normal appendicular skeleton, but a number of cranial defects were seen including the reduction of one orbit. The head of the buffalo was not examined in detail. Severe spinal deformity involving the whole vertebral column has been described in Norwegian mountain cattle by Mohr & W riedt (1930). They state 'The malformations encountered were so numerous and so irregular that it is impossible to describe them in a satisfactory way'. These authors discuss the pedigree of the bull involved. A number of deformed calves were born when this animal was mated to his daughters. The appendicular skeleton and the cranium in each of these cases was normal. Spinal deformities have also been described in a goat (Capra hircus) (Weber, 1943). It seems probable from these cases that a sporadically occurring recessive gene may cause spinal deformities in three genera of the family Bovidae. REFERENCES
ag, 173.
JONES, D. M. (1971). Vet. Rec., LIEPOLD, H. W. & DENNIS, S. M.
(1972). Cornell Vet. 63, 506.
MOHR, O. M. & WREIDT, C. (1930).). Genet. 22, 279. WEBER, W. (1943) . Schweitz:. Arch. Tierheilk. 85, 472.