Hydrocephalus Internus and other Neural Malformations, Brachyury in German Holstein Twin Calves

A two-days-old female German Holstein twin calf borned a deformed cranium. The calf was not able to endure and died shortly after the clinical examination and this calf was submitted to necropsy. Pathological-anatomical examination showed multiple malformations including hydrocephalus internus and atrophy of cerebellar hemispheres, hypoplasia of the cerebellum, syringomyelia in the cervical spinal cord and the cranial part of the thoracic spinal cord, hydromyelia in the caudal part of the thoracic spinal cord, scoliosis between the fifth and seventh thoracic vertebra and bilateral keratitis could be associated with a positive result for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus antibodies. Its male co-twin with brachyury and also dam of the twins were positive for BVD virus antibodies by EL？SA Test. Infection by BVD virus in an early stage of the pregnancy may be assumed to be responsible for the multiple malformations in the female twin and the brachyury of the male co-twin