A retrospective analysis on yak mortality with special emphasis on neonatal mortality

A K BERA; C MAJI; M HUSSAIN; J BAM; D BHATTACHARYA; SANJIT MAITI; T K BISWAS; S DEORI; S M DEB

doi:10.56093/ijans.v85i5.48528

Authors

A K BERA Senior Scientist, Veterinary Medicine, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
C MAJI SRF, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
M HUSSAIN SRF, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
J BAM Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
D BHATTACHARYA Principal Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
SANJIT MAITI Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
T K BISWAS Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
S DEORI Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India
S M DEB Director, ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 790 101 India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v85i5.48528

Keywords:

Age, Calf, Mortality, Organized herd, Season, Yak

Abstract

The study was conducted to find out the mortality pattern of yak and yak calf under semi-intensive management system of rearing in different seasons. Our investigation was carried out based on clinical history, treatment record and post mortem findings of yaks maintained at the institute. Analysis of data for 11 years revealed that total herd strength varies from 87 to 209 numbers. Overall mortality of yak was highest in 2003 (23.15%) and lowest (3.23%) in 2006. Further, calf mortality was highest (21.62%) in 2009 followed by 2008 (20.4%), 2002 (16.67%), 2010 (16.28%) and 2003 (16%). Within the 11-year tenure total numbers of calf death from the farm was 54, which includes 46.3% male and 53.7% female. Out of which 37.03% mortality was observed within first month of age followed by 33.33% in 1-3 months of age. Season-wise mortality pattern was also recorded in the study. The highest mortality in respect to both overall yak mortality (47.16%) and calf mortality (48.15%) was in summer (June- August) followed by autumn (September- November) i.e. 32.95 and 38.89%, respectively. The higher rate of mortality may be one of the major reasons behind the reduced population of yak in India. Seasonal influence also has role on occurrence of yak diseases and mortality.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bandyopadhyay S, Saravanan B C, Ghosh M K, Sarkar M, Ramesha K P and Bhattacharya M. 2007. Common Health Ailments of Yaks (Poephagus grunniens L.). Technical Bulletin, NRC-Y publication, Dirang, AP, India.

Bangar Y, Khan T A, Dohare A K, Kolekar D V, Wakchaure N and Singh B. 2013. Analysis of morbidity and mortality rates in cattle in Pune division of Maharashtra state. Veterinary World 6 (8): 512–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5455/vetworld.2013.512-515

Bellows R A, Patterson D J, Burfening P J and Phelps D A. 1987. Occurance of neonatal and postnatal mortality in range beef cattle.2. Factors contributing to calf death. Theriogenology 28: 573–86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0093-691X(87)90274-3

Berglund B, Steinbock L and Elvander M. 2003. Causes of stillbirth and time of death in Swedish Holstein calves examined post mortem. Acta Veterinaria Scandanavia 44: 111– 20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-44-111

Blood D C and Radostits O M. 1989. Veterinary Medicine. 7th Ed, ELBS, Oxford.

Cai L and Grerald. 2000. The Yak. 2nd edn. FAO regional Office for the Asia and the Pacific.

Chenyambuga S W and Mseleko K F. 2009. Reproductive and lactation performances of Ayrshire and Boran crossbred cattle kept in smallholder farms in Mufindi District, Tanzania. Livestock Research and Rural Development 21: Article100. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd21/7/chen21100.htm

Collery P, Bradley J, Fagan J, Jones P, Redehan E and Weavers E. 1996. Causes of perinatal calf mortality in the Republic of Ireland. Irish Veterinary Journal 49: 491–96.

Dorji T. 2006. Report on experiment of artificial insemination by frozen yak semen in an area with altitude of 4500 msl. Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress on Yak. Lhasa, P.R. China. Abstract 345.

Fink T. 1980. Influence of type of housing, microclimate and management on health of calves. Inaugural Disser Tierarztliche Hochshule, Hannover, p 120.

Gitau G K, McDermott J J, Waltnertoews D, Lissemore K D, Osumo J M and Muriuki D. 1994. Factors influencing calf morbidity and mortality in smallholder dairy farms in Kiambu district of Kenya. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 21: 167– 77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-5877(94)90005-1

Gitau G K, Perry B D and McDermott J J. 1999. The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang’s district, Kenya. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 39: 65–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-5877(98)00137-8

Islam S S, Ahmed A R, Ashraf A, Khanam N and Ahmed M B. 2005. Causes and consequences of calf mortality in a dairy farm of Bangladesh. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 4: 260–64.

Jenny B F, Cramling G E and Glaze T M. 1981. Management factors associated with calf mortality in South Carolina dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 64: 2284–89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(81)82843-3

Khan A and Khan M Z. 1995. Epidemiological aspects of neonatal calf mortality in the Nili-Ravi-Ravi buffaloes. Pakistan Veterinary Journal 15: 163–68.

Khan Z U, Khan S, Ahmad N and Raziq A. 2007. Investigation of mortality incidence and managemental practices in buffalo calves at commercial dairy farms in Peshawar city. Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences 2: 16–22.

Khatun M R, Arifuzzaman M and Ashraf A. 2009. A Comparative analysis on factors affecting calf mortality of buffalo in a breeding farm. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 12: 1535–38. DOI, 10.3923/pjbs.2009.1535.1538. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2009.1535.1538

Krishnan G, Ramesha K P, Sarkar M, Chakravarty P, Kataktalware M A and Sarvanan B C. 2009. Modified temperature humidity index for yaks. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 79 (8): 788– 90.

Liu J, Cai J Z, Zhang W, Liu Q, Chen D, Han J P and Liu Q R. 2008. Seroepidemiology of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii infection in yaks (Bos grunniens) in Qinghai, China. Veterinary Parasitology 152: 330–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.12.010

Mahmood M A, Tufail M, Babar M E, Yaqoob M, Ahmed T and Nawaz H. 1995. Factors effecting calf mortality in cattle. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences 32 (2–3): 240–45.

Maiti S, Jha S K, Garai S, Nag A, Chakravarty R, Kadian S, Chandel B S, Datta K K and Upadhyay R C. 2014. Adapting to climate change: Traditional coping mechanism followed by the Brokpa pastoral nomads of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 13 (4): 752–61. McGuirk B J, Going I and Gilmour A R. 1999. The genetic evaluation of UK Holstein Friesian sires for calving ease and related traits. Animal Science 68: 413–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357729800050414

Malik S, Verma A, Kumar A, Gupta M K and Sharma S D. 2012.Incidence of calf diarrhea in cattle and buffalo calves in Uttar Pradesh, India. Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 7 (10): 1049–54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/ajava.2012.1049.1054

Megersa B, Yacob A, Regassa A, Abuna F, Asmare K and Amenu K. 2009. Prevalence and incidence rates of calf morbidity and mortality and associated risk factors in small holder dairy farms in Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Veterinary Journal 13 (2): 59–68.

Mockeliunas R, Sederevicius A, Salomskas A, Mockeliuniene V, Maciulskis P and Jacevicius E. 2005. Analysis of disease prevalence and mortality of cattle in Lithuania. Veterinarija ir Zootechnika 32: 16–19.

Patil N A, Kumar S P, Mallikarjunappa S and Bhatt A R S. 1992. Calf mortality in Surti buffaloes. Indian Veterinary Journal 69 (11): 1018–22.

Peters A R. 1986. Studies of mortality, morbidity and performance in intensive calf rearing. Wild Review of Animal Production 22: 83–88.

Radostitis O M. 2005. Herd Health. Food Animal Production Medicine. 3rd edn. W B. Saunders Company.

Sangwan M L, Anand G R and Dwarkanath P K. 1985. Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting plasma immunoglobulin levels in cross bred calves. Indian Journal of Dairy Science 40: 140–50.

Sarkar M and Prakash B S. 2004. Synchronization of ovulation in yaks using PGF2alfa and GnRH. Proceedings of Conference on Sustainable Yak Husbandry in India. Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh. 54–57.

Sharma K N S, Jain D K and Noble D. 1975. Calf mortality in pure and crossbred Zebu cattle and Murrah buffaloes reared artificially from birth. Animal Production 20 (2): 207–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003356100035200

Sharma M C, Pathak N N, Hung N N, Lien N H and Vuc N V. 1984. Mortality in growing Murrah buffalo calves in Vietnam. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 54: 998–1000.

Shimizu T and Nagatoma H. 1978. Current status of calf diseases in Japan. Bulletin of Faculty of Agriculture, Miyazaki University 34: 329–36.

Simensen E. 1982. An epidemiological study of calf health and performance in Norwegian dairy herds II. Factors affecting mortality. Acta Agriculture Scandinavia 32: 421–27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00015128209435341

Singh D D, Kumar M, Choudhary P K and Singh H N. 2009. Neonatal calf mortality- an overview. Intas Polive 10 (II): 165– 69.

Staley T E and Bush L J. 1985. Receptor mechanisms of the neonatal intestine and their relationship to immunoglobulin absorption and disease. Journal of Dairy Science 68: 184– 205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(85)80812-2

Weiner G, Jianlin H and Ruijun L. 2003. The Yak. 2nd edn. FAO Regional office for Asia and Pacific, Bangkok.

Wudu T, Kelay B, Mekonnen H M and Tesfu K. 2008. Calf morbidity and mortality in smallholder dairy farms in Ada’a Liben District of Oromia, Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production 40 (5): 369–76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-007-9104-3

Wymann M N, Bonfoh B, Schelling E, Bengaly S, Tembely S M T and Zinsstag J. 2006. Calf mortality rate and causes of death under different herd management systems in peri-urban Bamako, Mali. Livestock Sciences 100 (2–3): 169–78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livprodsci.2005.08.010

Zhang R C. 2000. Effect of environment and management on yak reproduction, International Veterinary Information Service, Ithaca, New York, USA.

Zi X D, Zhong G H, Wen Y L, Zhong J C, Liu C L, Ni Y A, Yezi Y H and Ashi M G. 2004. Growth performance, carcass composition and meat quality of Jiulong-yak (Bos grunniens). Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 17: 410–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2004.410