Risk Factors Associated with Passive Immunity, Health, Birth Weight and Growth Performance in Lambs: I. Effect of Parity, Dam’s Health, Birth Weight, Gender, Type of Birth and Lambing Season on Morbidity and Mortality

Abstract

SummaryThis study was designed to examine the eff ect of birth weight, gender, birth type, lambing season, and dam parity and health status on lamb morbidity and mortality during the neonatal (first four weeks of life) and post-neonatal (first 5-12 weeks of life) periods in lambs born in two fl ocks in the 2009 lambing season in Kars, Turkey. EPI INFO 6 was used to determine diff erences in morbidity or mortality rates and risk according to risk factors including birth weights, genders, type of birth, lambing seasons, and parity and health of dams. The significance level was set at P<0.05 for all comparisons. The neonatal morbidity and mortality rates (48% and 33.3%, respectively) and risk of the lambs in the low birth weight group were significantly higher than those of the lambs in the medium birth weight (18.9%, X 2 =10.4, OR=3.9 for morbidity and 1.6%, X 2 =32.5, OR=30, for mortality) and high birth weight (9.8%, X 2 =26.9, OR=8.5 for morbidity and 1.2%, X 2 =46.5, OR=42.7 for mortality) groups (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). The neonatal mortality rate and risk of lambs born in the winter season (9.2%) were significantly (P<0.01) higher than those of lambs born in the spring season (1.8%, X 2 =9.6 and OR=5.5). Lambs born to primiparous ewes had a neonatal morbidity rate (29.6%) and risk significantly higher than those of ewes at second parity (13.9%, X 2 =6.4, OR=2.6) and third parity (11.1%, X 2 =7.8, OR=3.3) (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Similarly, lambs born to primiparous ewes had a neonatal mortality rate (14.8%) and risk significantly higher than those of ewes at second parity (2.9%, X 2 =9.3, O=5.7), third parity (0%, X 2 =14.1) and ≥4 parity (2.4%, X 2 =4.2, OR=6.9) (P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). Lambs born to ill ewes had a neonatal morbidity rate (64.7%) and risk significantly higher (P<0.001) than those of lambs born to healthy ewes (13.8%, X 2 =30.38, OR=11.4). In the present study, it was concluded that the most significant risk factors for lamb morbidity and mortality were season of birth, parity, birth weight and health status of dams. Therefore, timely implemented health and management measures targeting these factors are required to reduce disease and death. .2, OR=6.9) doğumunu yapan annelerden doğan kuzulara göre önemli seviyede (sırasıyla P<0.001, P<0.001 ve P<0.05) yüksek bulundu. Herhangi bir hastalığa maruz kalan annelerden doğan kuzuların neonatal hastalanma oranı (%64.7) ve riski sağlıklı olan annelerden doğan kuzulara göre (%13.8, X 2 =30.38, OR=11.4) önemli seviyede (P<0.001) yüksek bulundu. Bu çalışmada kuzu hastalık ve ölümleri için en önemli risk faktörlerinin doğum sezonu, anne doğum sayısı, doğum ağırlığı ve annenin sağlık durumunun olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır. Bu nedenle, bu faktörler üzerine odaklanarak zamanında sağlık ve sevk-idare önlemlerinin sağlanması kuzu hastalık ve ölüm oranlarını azaltmak için gereklidir.

Refining livestock mortality indicators: a systematic review

“…For both sheep and goats, the variation in the time periods covered by different studies was too great to allow direct comparisons. In sheep, two papers noted that stillbirth and perinatal mortality rates were higher than at any age (Holmoy & Waage, 2015); Voigt et al, 2019), while other authors report the largest proportion of mortalities occurred within 24 hours of birth (Binns et al, 2002), or within first week (Gokce & Erdogan, 2009;Gokce et al, 2013;Khan et al, 2006). Holmoy et al (2017) reported that 80% of neonatal lamb mortalities occurred within the first two days of life.…”

Unveiling Genetic Signatures Associated with Resilience to Neonatal Diarrhea in Lambs Through Dual GWAS Approaches

“…Risk factors associated with passive immunity, health, birth weight, and growth performance in lambs have been identi ed, impacting morbidity and mortality rates, which are above economically acceptable levels 13 . The etiology of neonatal diarrhea is multifactorial, involving various infectious agents such as Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia spp., Escherichia coli, rotavirus, and coronavirus 11,14,15,16 .…”

The effect of reduced dose of PGF2α on certain reproductive parameters in awassi yearlings in anestrus synchronisation protocol following the end of the of the breeding season

“…Twin and triplet born lambs are more prone to starvation due to the poor dam nutrition and reduced colostrum production by the dam (Refshauge et al, 2016).Also, twin born lambs are smaller and showed weakness in sucking enough amount of the colostrum (Flaiban et al, 2009).It was reported that starvation/exposure accounted for the 45 % of mortality for the multiple born lambs (Scales et al, 1986).Parity arealso related to neonatal lamb mortality (Gama et al, 1991;Dwyer et al, 2005;Mouse-Balabel, 2010). Higher lamb mortality was observed in the primiparous ewes compared to second parity (Gökçe et al, 2013).This can be resulted from lower birth weight of lambs, poor colostrum quality and delayed expressions of maternal behaviour in the primiparous ewes (Dwyer et al, 2003;Levy and Keller, 2008). Refshauge et al (2016) reported that mismothering and starvation account for 25 % of the neonatal lamb loss in the sheep production.…”