Brachispina Syndrome in the Friesian Breed

Congenital recessive defect of genetic origin that affects cattle, follows as CVM, BLAD, Syndactylism, etc. Mendellian laws, healthy but carriers who transmit the character to 50% of the children, the calves affected by the malformation are born from both carriers parents. Malformation characterized by the birth, at term, of dead calves, which present an anomalous skeletal development, both from the point of view of growth and of the proportion of different anatomical parts. The weight is very limited (from 6.4 to 13.6 kg) and the subjects show very short trunk length, normal length of the limbs, sometimes the head seems to be set between the shoulders and the stocky and short aspect of the trunk have made in the past to affected calves the additional name of "elk-like calf". Frequent is the hypoplasia of the jaw (lower brachignatia), reduced to little more than a sketch on which the tongue comes out freely. As with all the unwanted traits, to avoid the spread of the malformation in the important breed it is to apply a genetic prophylaxis plan, by identifying the carriers and prohibiting new introduction in F.A., to test the active bulls in order to avoid mating at risk. There is a genetic test to identify carriers through DNA.

L.G.S. Laboratorio di Genetica e Servizi Società Cooperativa Sede: Via Bergamo, 292 - 26100 Cremona

is operational on:

• Abbreviation BY tested carriers of the gene
• Abbreviation TY tested not carriers of the gene

The cost of the test is 44 €, for urgent request 49 €