Some factors affecting friesian calf mortality rate from birth to weaning
Abstract: A total of 322 mortalities out of 3363 newly born Friesian calves were recorded from birth to 16 weeks of age during the period from 1983 to 2002. The effects of year and month of birth, lethal diseases, dam parity, sex of calf and birth weight on calf mortality rate (CMR) were studied, The results revealed that all the previous factors significantly (P < 0,05 or 0.01) affected CMR. The overall mean of CMR was 9.57% during the experimental period, Of all recorded cases 49.7% occurred during the last 4 years, and the remainder 50.3% occurred during the first 16 years. Losses in March, June and July were greater compared to other months of the year. The lowest CMR was recorded in September, October and November. The most common diseases detected in the first postnatal 16 weeks were diarrhea (37.6%), respiratory infection (47.8%), septicaemia (3.4%), navel (3.1 %), general weak (3.7%) and unknown (4.3%). The first, second and eight parities of dams were associated with about seven folds as much CMR as the 5th parity. The probability of dying was greatest during the first week of life (50.0%) and decreased with age (mainly after the 6th weeks old). About 17.4% of CMR occurred from the 7th to the 16th weeks of age. Sex of calf remarkably affected the CMR which was 55.6% for male calves and 44.4% for female calves, The CMR recorded the lowest level when calves weighed between 26 and 39 kg (25.7%). Additionally, Friesian CMR was correlated positively (P < 0.01) with birth weight and diseases, negatively(P<0.05) with birth year and insignificantly with month of birth, sex of calf and dams parity.
Publication year 2003
Pages 418-433
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
City طنطا
serial title Journal Agricultural Research Tanta University
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    عبد السلام موسى متولى جامعة طنطا
    حسن غازى العوضى جامعة طنطا
    ابراهيم سعد الشماع جامعة طنطا
Agris Categories Animal physiology - Nutrition
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Birth weight. Calves. Mortality. Parturition. Weaning.
Proposed Agrovoc month of birth;lethal diseases;dam parity;sex of calf;
Publication Type Journal
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