Cerebellar hypoplasia of genetic origin in calves.
Within 2 years, following the introduction of 2 Shorthorn bulls from the same stud into an Australian Illawarra Shorthorn (AIS) herd, 16 calves were born with cerebellar hypoplasia. All affected calves were the progeny of one bull mated to the daughters of the other. All other progeny of these bulls, most of which were from AIS dams, were normal. Affected calves exhibited severe ataxia, consistent head movement and abduction of the forelimbs. Microscopic changes in the cerebellum included sparsity of cells of the granular layer, loss of Purkinje cells and narrowing of the molecular layer. Observations on the frequencies of normal and abnormal calves are consistent with the hypothesis that the condition is caused by an autosomal recessive gene for which affected calves were homozygous and which was introduced into the herd in heterozygous condition by both of the Shorthorn bulls. Evidence is given for an unusually high frequency of the gene in the stud of origin of the Shorthorn bulls and a procedure for reducing its frequency is outlined. The possibility of a viral or toxic aetiology is discussed but is  considered to be an unlikely explanation for the condition in this herd.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male