Wittum T E, Salman M D, Odde K G, Mortimer R G, King M E
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1993 Jul 15;203(2):232-6.
Seventy-three Colorado cow/calf operations were monitored for calf mortality from birth to weaning as part of their participation in the National Animal Health Monitoring System. Producer-observed causes of calf mortality, and the costs associated with these deaths were obtained. The overall calf mortality during the study was 4.5%, with a total associated cost of $237,478. The mean cost per calf death was $216, of which $208 was attributed to the potential value of the calf and an additional $8 was for veterinary, drug, producer's labor, and carcass disposal expenses. The most commonly reported causes of calf mortality were dystocia (17.5%), stillbirth (12.4%), hypothermia (12.2%), diarrhea (11.5%), and respiratory infections (7.6%). These 5 disease conditions accounted for > 60% of all calf deaths. A cause was not determined for 19.7% of the calf deaths. Beef producers and veterinarians have the potential to decrease calf mortality and increase profits in cow/calf operations by implementing management strategies and herd health programs designed to decrease the number of calf deaths caused by these disease conditions.
作为参与国家动物健康监测系统的一部分，对科罗拉多州的73个肉牛育犊养殖场从出生到断奶期间的犊牛死亡率进行了监测。获取了生产者观察到的犊牛死亡原因以及与这些死亡相关的成本。研究期间犊牛的总体死亡率为4.5%，相关总成本为237,478美元。每头犊牛死亡的平均成本为216美元，其中208美元归因于犊牛的潜在价值，另外8美元用于兽医、药品、生产者劳动力和尸体处理费用。最常报告的犊牛死亡原因是难产（17.5%）、死产（12.4%）、体温过低（12.2%）、腹泻（11.5%）和呼吸道感染（7.6%）。这5种疾病状况占所有犊牛死亡的60%以上。19.7%的犊牛死亡原因未确定。肉牛生产者和兽医有可能通过实施旨在减少这些疾病状况导致的犊牛死亡数量的管理策略和畜群健康计划，降低犊牛死亡率并提高肉牛育犊养殖场的利润。
