Dystocia Due to Diprosopus Monauchenos Tetraophthalmus Bibrachius Tetrapus Monster in a Graded Murrah Buffalo

Abstract

Monstrosity refers to a fetus with extensive congenital  deformities or developmental abnormalities, which  often makes the fetus non-viable and lead to serious cases  of dystocia. Monstrosities are often associated with either  infectious disease or congenital defects (Noakes et al., 2019).  The incidence of congenital monstrosities in Murrah buffalo ranged from 7.9 to 12.8% (Phogat et al., 1992). Embryonic  duplication is a congenital developmental abnormality  caused by incomplete twinning or imperfect duplication  of the germinal area, resulting in the partial or complete  duplication of body structures (Roberts, 2004). Such  duplications can arise during the elongation or regression  phase of the primitive streak (Noden and Lahunta, 1984).  Duplication of the cranial portion of the fetus is more  common than that of the caudal portion (Roberts, 2004).  Congenital malformations in livestock production, caused  by gene variants inherited from parents, can slow genetic  progress and lead to significant economic losses for breeders  due to animal deaths or reduced reproductive and productive  performance, including decreased milk production (Albarella  et al., 2017). The monstrosities usually result in dystocia.  Dystocia due to fetal anomalies is much more common in  bovines than in other domestic animals (Singh et al., 2011,  2013; Dutt et al., 2021). This report documents dystocia due  to diprosopus monauchenos tetraophthalmus bibrachius  tetrapus monster in a graded Murrah buffalo and its  successful management.