Congenital Taillessness in Cattle

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Taillessness, a rare congenital defect of cattle, has been observed in 25 animals sired by registered bulls of the Angus, Ayrshire, Guernsey, Hereford, Holstein, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn, and Shorthorn breeds. The dams of the tailless animals included descendants from 1 or more of these or from the Brown Swiss breeds. In females, taillessness occasionally is accompanied by anterior and dorsal misplacement of the vulva and anus, concave rump, and stiffness of the rear legs. In males, the defect may be accompanied by misplaced or atretic anus, concave rump, and stiffness of the rear legs. Malformations of the vertebral column appear to be variable. The defect was noted in more than twice as many females as males. Defective animals were from older dams, most of which had not been reported to have had malformed offspring previously. Tailless animals seem unlikely to occur, on the average, more often than once in every 3000 births, and may occur as infrequently as once in every 20,500 births. Although the defect seems to be of little significance, there is some slight evidence for the supposition of a hereditary basis for the defect in the Holstein breed.

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit: