SOME OF RISK FACTORS OF NILLI-RAVI BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS) NEONATAL MORTALITY IN PAKISTAN

Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

    This study was carried out to investigate neonatal calf mortality (NCM) in 864 Nili-Ravi buffalo calves born during 1993-2000 at the Livestock Production Research Institute (LPRI), Bahadurnagar, Okara, Pakistan. The overall mortality in buffalo neonates was 9.4%. The NCM in relation to birth weight, sex and age of neonatal calf showed non-significant difference. The highest mortality was recorded during 2^nd week of age (35.0 and 39.0%) and summer season (11.5 and 12.3%) in male and female buffalo neonatal calves, respectively. Mortality was also high in calves born to first parity dams (11.3%).  Morbidity and mortality due to various disease conditions showed highly significant (P = 0.0001) difference. Neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD) rendered the highest morbidity (16.6%) and mortality (5.2%), followed by pneumonia and pneumono-enteritis. Mange (3.4%), navel-ill (3.1%) and umbilical hernia (1.6%) lead morbidity only. Relative risk of morbidity (two and seven times) and mortality (three and eight times) was more in calves with intermediate and low immunoglobulins (Igs) concentration, respectively as compared to calves having high Igs concentration (P = 0.000). 

Key words: Neonatal calf mortality, Nili-Ravi buffaloes, risk factors.