Longitudinal study of calf morbidity and mortality on smallholder farms in southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Calf morbidity and mortality are serious constraints in the success of dairy calf production. Thus, the current study was carried out with the objective to estimate the incidence of calf morbidity and mortality and associated risk factors in milk-shed districts of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A prospective cohort and cross-sectional survey were employed from November 2019 to April 2020. A total of 196 calves were recruited by simple random sampling. Recruitment of calves was deployed by both the concurrent and prospective cohorts in calves aged below three months in study herds. The crude incidence of calf morbidity and mortality was 30.9% and 8.64%, respectively. The most frequently encountered disorder was calf diarrhea (10.17%), followed by pneumonia (6.5%). The other disorders were septicemia, omphalitis, arthritis, eye problem and miscellaneous cases. Multivariable Cox regression was revealed significant association for the calf vigor status, colostrum ingestion time, colostrum feeding status, dam parity, age at first calving, and related disorders were found risk factors of calf morbidity; likewise, calf vigor status at birth, time of colostrum ingestion and weaning were risk factors determining calf mortality. Calf morbidity and mortality rates recorded in this study were marginally higher than economically tolerable level, therefore, could affect the productivity of smallholder dairying by decreasing the obtainability of replacement heifers. Among significant explanatory factors investigated, colostrum ingestion time, method and amount were found important determinant factors of calf mortality and morbidity under the small-holder farming in the milk-shed districts of the Gamo zone. Therefore, rigorous calf husbandry practice is a need to manipulate the aforementioned calf determinants with subsequent application of tailor-made interventions.

Incidence and Predictors of Calf Morbidity and Mortality From Birth to 6-Months of Age in Dairy Farms of Northwestern Ethiopia

“…Among cause-specific morbidities recorded, calf diarrhea (25.2%) and pneumonia (8.6%) were the first and second calf health problems and the main causes of mortality in the study areas. This finding is consistent with reports from Ethiopia ( 5 , 6 , 8 , 35 ) and abroad ( 40 , 44 , 45 ). Lack of separate calf pen and lack of adequate colostrum could be the major predisposing factors affecting the occurrence of calf diarrhea in the present study area.…”

“…The overall morbidity and mortality incidence risk rates were estimated to be 47.3 and 17.9%, respectively. The 47.3% morbidity finding in this study was within the range of calf morbidity of 29.3% ( 7 ) and 30.9% ( 8 ) in southern Ethiopia and 62% in central Ethiopia ( 6 ). The morbidity of a calf has an overarching effect on its future survival and productivity ( 10 , 11 ) and hence the observed high morbidity can significantly impair diary productivity in the area.…”

“…However, the present mortality risk was found relatively lower than the previous Ethiopian reports of 20% in and around Addis Ababa ( 4 ), 22% mortality in Ada'a Liben district of Oromia ( 6 ), 25% mortality reported from Adami Tulu ( 37 ), 30.7% from Gozamen and Bahir Dar Zuria districts ( 38 ) and 53% from Ada Berga state farm ( 39 ). However, it was found higher than the incidence risk of calf mortality reports of 9.3% in Hawassa ( 7 ) and 8.6% in southern Ethiopia ( 8 ). Calf mortality has been reduced in the western modern dairy production systems, such as 5% in Norway ( 40 ), 3% in Sweden ( 41 ), and 2–6% in Britain ( 10 ).…”

“…Nevertheless, the success of such initiatives depends, among other things, on the raising of sufficient healthier heifers for the replacement of improved dairy herds. Few studies from central and southern Ethiopia reported a high prevalence of calf health problems, which substantially affected the rising of sufficient dairy heifers ( 4 – 8 ). Urban and peri-urban dairies which keep high grade cows in Ethiopia, are usually associated with reproductive inefficiency, poor calf survival rate, increased susceptibility to disease, such as mastitis, lameness, pneumonia, and ketosis ( 3 , 9 ).…”

Bacterial profile of bovine mastitis in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…This high prevalence of bacterial mastitis in Ethiopia may be attributed to the low level of biosecurity, low attention to dry cow therapy and vaccination coverage, poor management practices, and weakened veterinary interventions across the country, particularly in the extensive production system. Of the type of mastitis, subclinical mastitis was reported to be the most prevalent dairy cows’ constraints in Ethiopia, followed by calf morbidity and mortality in tropics including the country ( Woods, 1987 ; Moran, 2011 ; Tora et al, 2021 ).…”