Umbilical hernias are the most common birth defect in calves they occur when the umbilical ring fails to close after birth allowing abdominal contents to protrude through the opening umbilical hernias vary in severity from those that will spontaneously heal to those that will need surgical repair but how do you determine whether it is severe and requires surgery or not some of the factors that should be considered when assessing the umbilical hernia include the size of the hernia . Umbilical hernias are the most common birth defect in calves and may be more common in the holstein friesian breed signs and symptoms calves with simple hernias may seem completely normal except for a reducible umbilical hernia where the hernia contents can be easily pushed back into the abdomen. Umbilical hernia in calf symptoms and treatment calves like adult animals can be sick which negatively affects the productivity of the livestock non communicable diseases include various traumatic pathologies or genetic diseases umbilical hernia is one of these. Modern experts continue to study the causes of umbilical hernia in calves american doctors have concluded that their occurrence is directly related to infections that can enter the body through a non healing umbilical cord to make the umbilical cord heal faster you should use a drying agent for example iodine then the risk of hernia is significantly reduced it is also possible to use plastic clips that will not allow germs to get into the body through the navel