title: Gross postmortem and histologic examination findings from abortion losses and calf mortalities in western Canadian beef herds.
abstract: Production losses from abortions, stillbirths, and early calf mortality were described for the 2002 calf crop in 203 beef herds in western Canada. A total of 1689 calves were examined. A summary diagnosis was reported for 64% of aborted calves, 78% of stillborn calves, 88% of neonatal calves, and 94% of the calves > 3 d of age. Diagnoses for aborted calves included: thyroid gland lesions, pneumonia, developmental anomalies, placentitis, and myocardial necrosis or myopathy. For stillborn calves, diagnostic findings included: dystocia, thyroid gland lesions, myocardial necrosis or myopathy, developmental anomalies, and skeletal myopathy or necrosis. The most common diagnoses for neonatal calves (≤ 3 d) were: pneumonia, skeletal myopathy or necrosis, myocardial necrosis or myopathy, accident or trauma, and septicemia. For older calves (3 d to 3 mo), the most common diagnoses included: starvation, abomasal ulcer or perforation, enteritis or colitis, pneumonia, and intestinal volvulus, obstruction, or perforation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada. cheryl.waldner@usask.ca
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Waldner
authors.forename: Richard I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Leigh B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rosengren
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: Edward Ted G
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D007239:Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*