Pathological and Aetiological Observations Associated With Calf Mortality in Herds at the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania

Abstract

A study of morbid states associated with calf mortalities was made on two dairy farms at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro. Data were extracted from necropsy records vested in the Department of Veterinary Pathology for the five year period (1987 - 1991). The study was meant to elucidate the pathological states and aetiological factors associated with calf mortality at the SUA dairy herds. During the period the calf crop in these farms totalled 395. Out of these 130 calves (33%) died. The calf mortality rates were 9.5% and 41.38% for the Magadu Dairy Unit and SUA Farm Dairy herds respectively. Pneumonias were the major calf killers (28.4% of the total diagnoses) followed by gastroenteritides (23.5% of the total diagnoses). The age and the proximity of the calves to the pure taurine breed genotypes influenced the calve’s mortality rates. It is suggested that by controlling calf mortality alone it is possible for the SUA dairy farms to make a substantial improvement on the expansion rate of their herds.