The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has asked farmers to report calves with any sort of defect or deformity through its new congenital defect survey.

Congenital describes those abnormalities that are present at birth, which may arise due to genetic or environmental factors or an interaction between both.

By reporting these cases, farmers are helping to identify, monitor, and manage genetic defects segregating in the Irish cattle population.

The ICBF is interested in defects which may have a genetic influence. Genetic defects occasionally arise in all species, and cattle are no different. 

There are many genetic defects in Irish cattle where the underlying cause is still unknown. Without reporting, such defects cannot be identified or managed, the ICBF said.

Since 2014, some 555 farmers have reported genetic defects through the genetic defect survey. The most commonly reported defects were Atresia (blocked intestine), followed by:

Tail defects;
Defects of spine/shoulders/hips/limbs/hooves;
Cleft lip/palate/nostril;
Behavioural/neurological defects;
Dwarfism;
Eye defects;
Skin/hair defects;
Ear defects; and
Defects associated with the genitalia of the animal.

The congenital defect survey, which takes less than three minutes to take, can be found on the ICBF website under services > other services  > health and disease.

In addition to reporting the defect, farmers will have the option to forward a photo/video of the deformity which is helpful in identifying the defect.

Reporting a defect is important because it enables the ICBF to:

Detect emergences of genetic defects as early as possible;
Estimate the number of calves born each year with a defect;
Identify bulls siring calves with a greater number of defects.

The reporting of calves also helps determining the underlying genetic cause of the defect to aid the development of screening tests, and to detect new diseases in herds.