A Retrospective Study on Prevalence and Surgical Management of Umbilical Hernias in Calves, 1998-2020.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and surgical treatment of umbilical hernias in calves. Animals: Two hundred and sixty-seven calves with umbilical hernias. Methods: Medical records of 505 calves with umbilical disorders between March 1998 and July 2020 were reviewed, with a specific focus on 267 calves diagnosed with umbilical hernias. Data on husbandry type, breed, gender, age, surgical techniques, and surgical outcomes were surveyed in this retrospective clinical study. Results: The prevalence of umbilical hernia was 13.15% with simple umbilical hernias as the most commonly observed pathology. The number of calves with simple umbilical hernias was significantly higher than those with complicated hernias. Calves with umbilical infections exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of hernias (15.32%) compared to those without infection (9.26%). No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of hernias between breeds and genders. The frequency of hernias in calves managed under the range system was significantly higher than those managed under the smallholder system. Recurrence rates of hernias showed no significant differences between open and closed herniorrhaphy methods for the surgical treatment of simple umbilical hernias. 75.6% of calves with hernias were under 14 weeks of age, and the prevalence was almost nearly equal between females and males. Conclusion: Umbilical hernias were more prevalent among Holstein calves raised under the range system with no observed sex predilection. Calves with umbilical infections were 1.77 times more likely to develop umbilical hernias compared to those without infections. No significant difference was found between open and closed methods of herniorrhaphy of simple umbilical hernias.