An Overview of Dystocia in Various Animal Species

Dystocia can be defined as a difficult birth, and is an important economic issue in both the beef and dairy industry. Consequences of dystocia include increased fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality, reduced subsequent fertility, and increased labor. Attempts have been made to increase the objectivity of the diagnosis of dystocia by creating a hierarchical classification of dystocia according to the level of intervention that is required or through a binary classification into ‘assisted’ or ‘not assisted’ births. In principle, dystocia occurs when there is a failure of either the expulsive forces or the adequacy of the birth canal, or the disposition of the fetus