Owners of "funny-looking" calves born this calving season are being asked to fill out an online survey for the ICBF.

ICBF are looking for farmers help in creating a database of animals with potential genetic defects. Many congenital defects have a genetic basis which can be identified and possibly tested for.

Farmers who have a calf born with a defect are being asked to take the online survey and provide full body photographs of the animal. For animals that have the defects the ICBF are targeting this year, farmers may be asked to supply a hair or tissue sample. Other queries will be recorded on a database so that the ICBF can begin identifying sires that produce animals with defects for future sequencing projects.

The survey is composed of questions which the ICBF will use to identify what defects are most prevalent. Photographs of the defective calf, with at least one full body shot with the animal's tag visible, must also be submitted for veterinarians to use during diagnosis.

Farmers wishing to take part can find the survey for recording congenital defects on the health and disease page on ICBF's website. Photographs should be emailed to health@ICBF.com after filling out the survey.