Short Communication - Possible aetiology of the posterior presentation in Perosomus elumbis

The aetiology of foetal presentation in cattle is still unresolved. The hind legs are the main source of propulsive movement in cattle, which provides changes in foetal presentation. The assumption is that in the absence of hind leg movements of the foetus, as in the case of the congenital malformation, Perosomus elumbis, the incidence of the anterior and posterior presentation will be the same. The Scopus database, the world wide web (www), and the list of article references were searched using the keyword, Perosomus elumbis. Manuscripts with data about the foetal presentation were included and 21 cases in 16 articles were identified. There were 11 cases of anterior presentation and 10 of posterior presentation. The Chi-square test didn't show a statistically significant difference between the incidence of anterior and posterior presentation. This finding supports the assumption that the posterior presentation is the result of the random occupying of the intrauterine space with the same probability of anterior and posterior presentation. To confirm or exclude at random the occupant of the intrauterine space with the same probability for anterior and posterior presentation as a general mechanism for posterior presentation in cattle foetuses, it is necessary to determine the incidence of foetal presentation at birth in various veterinary entities accompanied by an increased incidence of posterior presentation. The aim of the paper was to investigate the incidence of posterior and anterior presentation in Perosomus elumbis.