Factors affecting mortality and morbidity in Gir cattle herd in south saurashtra agro-climatic region of Gujarat

Abstract

The present investigation aimed to study the factors affecting mortality and morbidity during a period of 20 years (2001 to 2020), in an organized large century-old Gir cattle herd in its home tract. Average strength of the herd was 115 Gir cows with 100 birth per year and around 390 total heads with overall mortality of 6.2%. Based on strength of animals at risk, maximum mortality occurred in from birth to 1 month age group (7.3%) and significantly (p<0.05) higher deaths were recorded during Nov-Dec. months (8.5%) as compared to rest of the periods of the year. Colibacillosis and pneumonia were the major reasons accounting for 46±8.3 and 20.5±5.1% of death in calves below 6 months of age. Mastitis, colibacillosis, bovine ephemeral fever and pneumonia were observed major health disorders in cattle herd and their incidences were 23.2±2.2, 18.8±1.7, 14.3±1.6 and 9.8±1.8%, respectively. The results indicated that for successful dairy farming, all possible care and precautions during the concerned age group and periods are utmost needed to keep incidences of these ailments minimum possible in the herd to reduce mortality and have the optimum replacement rate in the dairy herd.