A study on the cause-specific mortality rates of dairy calves on farms in the eastern zone of Tanzania

Shoo, M.K.; Semvua, R.H.; Kazwala, R. R.; Msolla, P.

doi:10.1016/0167-5877(92)90036-f

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…The estimated mortality risk was within the same range as previously reported from Sweden by Olsson et al (1993). The disease contributing to the majority of the mortality in young calves was enteritis, which is in accordance with finding by Shoo et al (1992), Virtala et al (1996), andSivula et al (1996). Similarly to Agerholm et al (1993), the present study found pneumonia to be the most common cause of mortality in calves aged 1 to 6 mo and also the overall most common cause of death, as was also reported by Figueroa et al (1977) and Blom and Thysen (1980), with both studies recording mortality of calves until 120 d of age.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Mortality in Swedish Dairy Calves and Replacement Heifers

Svensson

Linder

Olsson³

2006

Journal of Dairy Science

156

104

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The mortality of 8,964 heifer calves born in 122 dairy herds in southwest Sweden in 1998 to 2000 was monitored from January 1998 until December 2000. Farmers were requested to send carcasses for necropsy from animals that died from 1 d of age to first calving. Age and seasonal patterns of mortality were investigated using Kaplan-Meier curves. The median herd-level mortality risk was 2.1%. In total, 3.1% of the animals died before 90 d of age, 0.9% between d 91 and 210, and 2.2% between d 211 and first calving or d 810 (27 mo of age). The median age at death was 50 d and the risk of dying was highest during the first week of life. Of the 421 dead animals, 236 (56%) were subjected to either postmortem examination or were diagnosed as having died from trauma based on information from the farmers. In total, pneumonia was the most common cause of death (27%). However, in calves less than 31 d old, enteritis was the most common cause of death; in young stock 211 to 450 d old, trauma dominated; and in young stock more than 450 d old, trauma and calving-related diseases accounted for a majority of the mortality. The largest proportion of deaths was observed from January to March, and in June. Kaplan-Meier curves suggested that housing in small-group pens was associated with the lowest mortality (other housing systems were single pens and large-group pens with automatic milk feeders), but the association was not significant.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Mortality in Swedish Dairy Calves and Replacement Heifers

Svensson

Linder

Olsson³

2006

Journal of Dairy Science

156

104

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“…Studies carried out in Tanga indicated that bucket feeding and residual calf suckling were practised by 29% and 71% of the farmers interviewed (Swai et al, 2005b). Recent studies on young stock mortalities in Tanzania revealed that nearly 50% of the live-born calves died before they reached 12 months old, and that males were more likely to die than female calves (Shoo et al, 1992;Swai et al, 2005b). The survival rate of calves is affected by the value placed on them by farmers.…”

Section: Calf Management and Health On Smallholder Dairy Farmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smallholder Dairy Farming in Tanzania

Swai¹,

Karimuribo²

2011

Outlook Agric

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Smallholder dairy farming is growing in Tanzania at a rate of 6% per year, with an estimated 190,000 registered farmers. Despite the fact that smallholder dairy farming is widespread in different parts of Tanzania where the climate is appropriate, the supply of milk and milk products in these regions has not kept pace with the rapid increase in the human population. Productivity in existing smallholder dairy herds is constrained by the small size of farms and their distance from markets, animal health and reproductive problems and lack of good-quality animal feeds in sufficient quantities. Other constraints include lack of infrastructure for input and output markets, unfavourable regulatory and taxation policies, poor flow of information, restricted access to credit and limited supply of dairy cattle. Nevertheless, the sector is acknowledged for its contribution to household food security, employment opportunities and as a regular source of income for farmers. Dairy production integrated into rural, peri-urban and urban smallholder mixed farming systems may increase and stabilize farm incomes and act as a catalyst for agricultural development and improved standards of living. The authors conclude that smallholder dairy production is an important undertaking and, if adequately supported by appropriate policies and adaptive research technologies, it may contribute significantly towards the household economy, self-sufficiency in milk and national gross domestic product.

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“…In the tropics, mortality rates vary depending on management and severity of draft. The few studies on calf mortality on smallholder farms in Tanzania show mortality that range from 9% to 45% (Shoo et al 1992 ; Masanja and Matovelo 1993 ; Chenyambuga and Mseleko 2009 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calf health and management in smallholder dairy farms in Tanzania

Chang’a

Mdegela

Ryoba

et al. 2010

Trop Anim Health Prod

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Smallholder farmers’ knowledge and practice of dairy calf management on 129 farms with calves less than 10 months of age in Southeastern and Southern Highland areas of Tanzania was assessed. The method of study included both a farm visit and completion of a questionnaire. Most of the farmers were female, with a primary level of education, and majority kept 1–3 milking cows that yielded 6–10 l milk/cow/day. Most of the calves were fed milk using a residual calf suckling system. Weaning age was 3–8 months. Overall, the body condition of the calves was poor, ranged from 1 to 2.5 with a mode of 2. The majority of the farmers believed that helminthosis was the most common disease condition affecting the calves; diarrhea was ranked as the second. Calf death was reported by 20% of the farmers to have occurred in their herd lasting the 2 years prior to the study. Calf body condition score was related to body weight for calves younger than 9 weeks, and older than 23 weeks of age, whereas no such relationship existed in the age group 9 to 23 weeks. The sex distribution was skewed with less male calves being older than 23 weeks. We hypothesize that male calves experience inferior management compared with female calves. This study demonstrates a low level of knowledge on, and poor practices of calf management among the surveyed farmers that suggest the need for educational intervention.

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A study on the cause-specific mortality rates of dairy calves on farms in the eastern zone of Tanzania

Cited by 8 publications

References 1 publication

Mortality in Swedish Dairy Calves and Replacement Heifers

Mortality in Swedish Dairy Calves and Replacement Heifers

Smallholder Dairy Farming in Tanzania

Calf health and management in smallholder dairy farms in Tanzania

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