Wudu T, Kelay B, Mekonnen H M, Tesfu K
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2008 Jun;40(5):369-76. doi: 10.1007/s11250-007-9104-3.
A longitudinal observational study on calf morbidity and mortality was conducted in smallholder dairy farms in Ada'a Liben district of Oromia, Ethiopia. A total of 185 calves from 112 market oriented smallholder dairy farms were selected randomly and regularly monitored for clinical health problems up to six months of age. Information on potential risk factors was collected by personal observation during the regular visit to farms and from questionnaire survey conducted during the study period. The overall incidences of crude morbidity and crude mortality were 62% and 22%, respectively. The most frequent disease syndrome was calf diarrhea with the incidence of 39% followed by joint ill 6%. The other disease conditions/syndromes diagnosed include navel ill, pneumonia, septicemic conditions, congenital problems and miscellaneous cases. Age of the calves, age at first colostrum ingestion and cleanness of the calf barns significantly influenced morbidity. Older calves (greater than three months of age) were at lower risk of crude morbidity than younger calves (less than three months of age) (HR = 0.42, P = 0.001). Higher risk of crude morbidity was observed in calves that ingested their first colostrum meal later than 6 hours of age compared to those that ingested colostrum earlier (HR = 2.24, P = 0.001). Similarly, calves housed in unclean barns were at higher risk of morbidity than calves housed in clean barns (HR = 1.75, P = 0.024). Of the 20 potential risk factors investigated, age was the only factor that was found significantly associated with mortality (HR = 0.04, P = 0.001). Calves older than three months of age were at lower risk of mortality than younger calves.
在埃塞俄比亚奥罗米亚州阿达阿利本地区的小农户奶牛场开展了一项关于犊牛发病率和死亡率的纵向观察研究。从112个以市场为导向的小农户奶牛场中随机挑选了185头犊牛，并对其进行定期监测，直至6月龄，观察临床健康问题。通过定期走访农场时的个人观察以及在研究期间进行的问卷调查收集有关潜在风险因素的信息。粗发病率和粗死亡率分别为62%和22%。最常见的疾病综合征是犊牛腹泻，发病率为39%，其次是关节病，发病率为6%。诊断出的其他疾病状况/综合征包括脐炎、肺炎、败血症、先天性问题和其他病例。犊牛的年龄、首次摄入初乳的年龄以及犊牛舍的清洁程度对发病率有显著影响。年龄较大的犊牛（大于3月龄）的粗发病率低于年龄较小的犊牛（小于3月龄）（风险比=0.42，P=0.001）。与较早摄入初乳的犊牛相比，出生后6小时后才首次摄入初乳的犊牛粗发病率更高（风险比=2.24，P=0.001）。同样，饲养在不清洁牛舍中的犊牛比饲养在清洁牛舍中的犊牛发病率更高（风险比=1.75，P=0.024）。在调查的20个潜在风险因素中，年龄是唯一与死亡率显著相关的因素（风险比=0.04，P=0.001）。3月龄以上的犊牛死亡率低于年龄较小的犊牛。
