Open Access
Research (Published online: 14-04-2023)
13. Causes of fetal death in the Flemish cattle herd in Brazil
Lucas Marian, Jéssica Aline Withoeft, Leonardo da Silva Costa, Luiza Ramos Ribeiro, Isadora Cristina Melo, Raquel Silva Alves, Letícia Ferreira Baumbach, Maicon Gaissler Lorena Pinto, Alessandra Snak, Luiz Claudio Miletti, Sandra Maria Ferraz, Ricardo Antônio Pilegi Sfaciotte, Cláudio Wageck Canal, and Renata Assis Casagrande
Veterinary World, 16(4): 766-772

Lucas Marian: Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Jéssica Aline Withoeft: Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Leonardo da Silva Costa: Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Luiza Ramos Ribeiro: Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Isadora Cristina Melo: Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Raquel Silva Alves: Laboratory of Veterinary Virology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Letícia Ferreira Baumbach: Laboratory of Veterinary Virology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Maicon Gaissler Lorena Pinto: Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina (EPAGRI-SC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Alessandra Snak: Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, UDESC, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Luiz Claudio Miletti: Laboratory of Biochemistry of Hemoparasites and Vectors, UDESC, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Sandra Maria Ferraz: Center for Animal Microbiological Diagnosis, UDESC, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Ricardo Antônio Pilegi Sfaciotte: Center for Animal Microbiological Diagnosis, UDESC, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Cláudio Wageck Canal: Laboratory of Veterinary Virology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Renata Assis Casagrande: Laboratory of Animal Pathology, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.766-772

Article history: Received: 09-11-2022, Accepted: 09-03-2023, Published online: 14-04-2023

Corresponding authors: Renata Assis Casagrande

E-mail: renata.casagrande@udesc.br

Citation: Marian L, Withoeft JA, Costa LS, Ribeiro LR, Melo IC, Alves RS, Baumbach LF, Pinto MGL, Snak A, Miletti LC, Ferraz SM, Sfaciotte RAP, Canal CW, and Casagrande RA (2023) Causes of fetal death in the Flemish cattle herd in Brazil, Veterinary World, 16(4): 766-772.
Abstract

Background and Aim: Flemish cattle in Brazil are on the brink of extinction and are found only in one herd in Lages, Santa Catarina State. This study aimed to uncover the reasons for the recurring abortions in the Flemish cattle herd.

Materials and Methods: Seventeen Flemish fetuses underwent postmortem examinations, with samples collected for histopathology and microbiology culture tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Neospora caninum, and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) test for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) from 2015 to 2020.

Results: Of the 17 fetuses, N. caninum was the most common diagnosis and was found in 88% (15/17). One fetus (5.8%) had a coinfection with N. caninum and Citrobacter amalonaticus, leading to fibrinonecrotic pericarditis. All fetuses tested negative for BVDV by RT-PCR. Of the 107 dams tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay, 26 (25.2%) were anti-N. caninum seropositive, with 17 (65.4%) aborting and 5 (19.2%) having estrus repetition. Reverse transcription-PCR results showed that 9 (8.4%) of the serum samples collected from dams tested positive, which tested follow-up test 3 months later, indicating a BVDV transient infection. The factors that contributed to neosporosis included dogs’ access to pastures and improper disposal of fetal remains, which made it easier for dogs to consume them.

Conclusion: This study warns the occurrence of N. caninum as a cause of reproductive disorders that can lead to abortion in the studied Flemish cattle herd.

Keywords: abortion, endangered breeds, pathology, protozoan, reproductive disorders.