02206nas a2200253   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260007000043653001100113653001700124653001000141653002700151100001100178700001400189700001700203700001300220700001200233700001400245700001200259245006500271490000800336520159400344022001401938       2017                            d  c04/2017bSchlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KGaHannover10acattle10amalformation10aheart10ainbreeding coefficient1 aZ Usta1 aE Engelke1 aM Gottschalk1 aH Kuiper1 aH Meyer1 aC Pfarrer1 aO Distl00aEctopia cordis cervicalis inferior in a German Holstein calf0 v1303 aIn the present study, an anatomical, radiological and cytogenetic examination as well as a pedigree analysis of a three-month-old female German Holstein calf with ectopia cordis cervicalis inferior (ECCI) was performed. The heart of the affected calf was encased in the pericardium and located in the enlarged cupula pleurae dextra in the caudoventral cervical region. Radiological examination showed that the base of the heart was approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. At the age of three months, the calf had developed a persistent and high-grade cough associated with an increased respiratory rate, a tachycardia and an increased internal body temperature. Because of the diagnosis of a severe bronchopneumonia, the calf was euthanized. Besides the ectopic heart, pathomorphological findings were a patent foramen ovale and a patent ductus arteriosus. Further anomalies of the blood vessels were for example, a modified branching pattern of the brachiocephalic trunk and a considerably elongated thoracic portion of the vena cava caudalis. The apertura thoracis cranialis was extremely wide and the sternum was broader than usual, especially the manubrium had an extraordinary width. Secondary findings were a pericarditis with pericardial effusion and a pleuritis. In the ECCI-calf, chromosomal abnormalities could not be detected in the metaphases (2n = 60, XX). The inbreeding coefficient for the affected calf was 2.49% due to a common ancestor. The ECCI probably resulted from a very rare mutation in the common ancestor or the germline in either one parent.  a0005-9366