A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF CALF LOSSES ON THE CENTRAL DAIRY-CATTLE BREEDING STATION IN BANGLADESH

A retrospective study of calf losses on the Central Dairy Cattle Breed ing Station in Bangladesh was carried out between January 1980 and Jul y 1992 (both months inclusive). Analyses of data on 681 abortions and 8623 live born calves out of which 1146 died within one year of age re vealed that during the survey period mean annual abortion rate and mea n annual calf mortality rate from birth to one year of age were 7.6 +/ - 4.8% and 13.4 +/- 3.8%, respectively, Gastro-enteritis caused 30.7% of all deaths followed by respiratory diseases (16.7%). Tuberculosis a nd foot and mouth disease were responsible for 11.3% and 7.6% of the d eaths, respectively. Calf mortality rate was significantly higher in m ale calves and in calves having exotic breeding and lower birth weight . Age at death during the first 12 months of life was described by lif e table methods. Life table analyses of all deaths or deaths due to ga stro-enteritis and respiratory diseases demonstrated that mortality pe aked during neonatal period (28 days inclusive) of life.