CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Ninety-two umbilical pathologies were surgically solved in Holstein, Aberdeen Angus, and Polled Hereford calves, both males and females, whose ages ranged between two and eight months. The pathology diagnosis was performed considering the main anatomical elements involved in the umbilical cord, the inflammation progression and the macroscopic characteristics of injuries. The umbilical cord pathologies were related to calving characteristics. The proportion of umbilical cord affection from calves born in assisted calving (77%) was significantly higher than that observed in calves born from normal parturition. The umbilical cord pathology of higher occurrence was omphalophlebitis (53.2%). A considerable proportion of infectious diseases of the urachus were observed (29.3%). First-degree omphalophlebitis was diagnosed in the major proportion of surgical cases (30.4%) and showed significant differences in relation to more serious pathologies as third-degree omphalophlebitis (5.4%) and third-degree omphalourachitis (5.4%). The occurrence of umbilical cord diseases treated surgically was significantly higher in assisted calving (77%) than in eutocic birth.