Calving duration and obstetric assistance influence pulmonary function of Holstein calves during immediate fetal-to-neonatal transition

Neonatal immediate adaptation to extrauterine life depends mainly on adequate lung function, which is under the influence of previous fetal maturation and obstetrical condition, both acting to stimulate the efficient liquid removal from the pulmonary parenchyma during the immediate transition period. The objective of the present study is to identify chest radiographic changes of neonatal calves born under the influence of different duration of calving and obstetric assistance and correlate with clinical analysis and blood acid-base balance. Experimental groups were determined according to the duration of calving: 2 h (n = 16), 2–4 h (n = 16) and >4 h (n = 12), and additionally by two sub-groups: no-intervention calving (n = 22) and intervention calving (n = 22). Neonatal calves were evaluated for heart and respiratory rate at birth, 5 min, every 10 min until 90 min. Arterial acid-base balance was determined immediately after calving and thoracic radiographs were made at 10 min of life. Lung radiopacity was higher in the 2–4 hr Group compared to the 2 hr Group. When calving duration was greater than 4 hours, a significant respiratory depression was observed. Calving greater than 2 hours slower neonatal pulmonary clearance, 100% and 91.6% of the calves born in the 2–4 hr and >4 hr Groups, respectively, had mild to moderate lung parenchyma opacity. There was a positive correlation between lung radiographic changes and blood TCO(2) and negative correlation between pulmonary opacity score and blood PaO(2) and SO(2). Hence, it is possible to infer that neonatal hypoxia during prolonged calving has an imperative influence on pulmonary fluid absorption in calves. In conclusion, calving greater than 2 hours impacts pulmonary function at birth, leading to altered lung gas exchange, pulmonary clearance, cardiac and respiratory pattern. Conversely, obstetric intervention when calving has duration greater than 4 hours is beneficial for neonatal oxygenation.