Foetal Monsters?

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Rachel Brown — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 11:27:57 GMT

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 02:31:34 GMT

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 02:23:33 GMT

I think I've only seen two schistosome calves as a qualified vet and they were both in the same weekend on different farms. I saw one on the farm where I worked as a student and before college - that came out the back end. Both out of mine out the side door, I think it's the only caesarean I've ever done on a Jersey cow. Maybe a handful of amorphous globus cases - I suspect often missed.

I delivered a schistosome lamb this week per vagina. I'm not sure I've seen one before.

Had a handful of SBV calves in the first year. Had half a dozen positive SBV so far this year in abortions and stillbirths. I am awaiting results from 2 more calves - I can get a calf brain out in less than a minute now....

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Fable — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 23:25:41 GMT

As a student I assisted a vet with an embryotomy on a schistosome calf on a dairy farm in California. Have since had 2 schistosome calvings whilst practising in NZ - one dairy delivered dead by caesarian, one beef where we ultimately decided to shoot the cow.

With the number of calvings that occur over a short space of time during the spring here, it is not uncommon to have several schistosomes reported across the practice. They are not a lot of fun, apart from the dubious jokes about where the cow might have been and did she drink the water whilst she was there...

I have had one set of Siamese lambs back home in the UK - fused head so impossible to attempt normal delivery. Farmer had already tried for an hour and cut off the back end. Was quite pleased with my attempt at a makeshift embryotome and was able to deliver the rest of it after removing one of the heads, only to find that her uterus had ruptured at some stage previously.

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Noweia — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 22:28:39 GMT

At the farm I lambed at while a vet student (750 ewes) we had at least one a year. Had a schistosoma, one born without a head, an amorphous globosus and a cyclops, amongst others!

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Julian Earl — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 18:17:23 GMT

Yes, the worst thing about schistosomes, apart from the extra-large hole needed for a caesarean, is the fact that the calves are still alive. They Don't need their lungs while inside the dam of course ! but I expected them to be dead until I pulled out my first one.

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Rachel Brown — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 13:56:37 GMT

In over 20 years in Ireland one Siamese twin and that was in a Freisian Jersey heifer last year. Figured something even more weird than a two headed calf was going on when I cut off one head and the calf still wouldn't come- the calf was dead of course.

Had one partial schistosome in a ewe when a student in 92. Have had two schistosomes in calves since qualified. One in Cavan and one in Mayo. Both dealt with via Caesarian, one was very much alive and well so had to PTS. The little thing was so healthy and looking for a suck.

Thankful we haven't had any schmallenburg cases up here in Mayo, so far anyway.

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Julie Innes — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 13:08:05 GMT

I tried for hours once to calve a foetal anasarca! It was a particularly bad day, as I'd been called out at 2am and drove my car into a ditch in the pea soup fog. No mobile phones then, so hitched a lift with a passing lorry driver to the farm with my calving gear (got pelters from my boss for that later!) and spent the next two hours puzzling over why I had a head and 2 legs, definitely belonging to the same calf in a reasonable sized cow but couldn't get it out. Eventually phoned senior partner who stopped in on his way to the abattoir and cheerfully explained it to me arranged to meet the poor cow at said abbatoir. Then asked were my car was.....

RE: Foetal Monsters?

Seadna — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 12:59:37 GMT

Hi Julian. I have no official figures myself. I was just thinking though, if you spoke to someone who lived in the south of England in 2011 and 2012 (around the time of the Schmallenberg outbreak I think) would they would give you a far higher incidence than say, someone working in the North of Scotland at the same time?

Every single time I'm in the middle of a difficult calving presentation, there's a small part of me that wants to declare it a monster. And every time (so far), I'm so glad I didn't at the end when there's a normal calf on the floor :D