1!ldfanJ, Anim, Sc;,Sl (3); 166-171, March 1982

Factors affecting kid mortality in dairy goats D. S. CHAWLA', D, S. BHATNAGAR' and R, R, MiSHRA'

Nalional Dairy Research lnstiwte. Kamal, Haryalla ! 32 OO! Received: )() July 1980

ABSTRACT Some factors affecting mortality among Beetal (8), Alpi ne (A). Saanen (S), A x B, S x Band- SAB/ ASB cross-bred kids up to 6 months of age during 1975 to 1979 were It\vestigated. Overall kid mortality was 32, t %, ranging from 25,2 (S X 8) to 48, I % (A). Tile death rate among kids of e'lotic and 75 % eKotic inheritance was higher than among the kids of native and nalf-breds. Mortality from birth to I month of age was high, and {iecrcased with the increase in age, Adjusted overall average of month-wise mortality rates varied from 16,86 (December) to (94% (September), Va riatiDIl in mortality rates over months was significant. maximum mortality being (62.2%) in winter (p < 0.01) ar.d -minimum in monsoon (7.9%), Effect of year on kid mortaliLY was significant, beillg lowest (16,5%) In 1976 and highest (39.8%) in 1979, The high""! loss of life was mostly due to pneumoenteritis (33, 6 %) followed by eute,itis (31.7%) and pneumonia (19.2%). Differences in mortality rates due to diseases were significant. .

lfiformation on causes of mortality in goats in India is quite meagre. A study was therefore undertaken to itiYc.tigate the patterns of mortality in kiiids of indigenous. exotic and cross-bred goats.

SAB/ASB) born at this Institute's farm from January 1975 to December 1979. Breeding was practiced by natural mating except for a limited period during 1975 and a few goats in 1976 where artificial insemination was carried out. Kids were kept separately in kid-boxes for at least I MATERrALS AND METHODS week after birth. The kids weer allowed :l'h.is study was carried out on J,484 to suckle their dams only for the rest 5 kids (169 Beetal (B), 137 Alpine (A). 55 days after birth, They were thenyfed milk SaanelI (5), 50) A x B, 214 S x Band 412 according to their body weights by means of nipple either from bottles or by nipples ;Pres~en' address: lScientist S-I, 'Scientist dipped in milk in enamelled wash-basins S-J" Djvlsi\)n of Dairy Cattle Genetics , Milk was given till they attained 12 kg 'Sdentisf 'S-l, Division of Livestock Production body weight, and thereafter kept on conResear~ll, rndian Veterinary Research Institute, centrates and roughages. All kids (males lzatnaj:ar, Uttar Pradesh 243 122, 10~$CS

166

March 1982]

KID MORTALITY IN DAIRY GOATS

. and females) were tattooed within 2-5 days 'by a tattcoing forceps and were dehorned electric dehorners before they were 15 days of age. The kids were housed in ·a group of 25-35 in a room measuring 2.25 m. x 2.75 m with an open coral tqeasuring 6 m X 2.75 m. [n winter the kids were protected from cold and were kept inside the room. The date of birth, breed and cause of death of each kid were recorded. The mortality rate as percentage of nnmber deaths to the total number of kids exposed to the risk was calculated for the following age groups : birth to 15 days, J6 to 30 .days, I to 2 months. 2 to 4 months, 4 to 6 'months. birth to I month and birth to 6 months. Mortality rate was calculated by the formula dl M .R. = b-di-l

with

of

RESULTS AND DlSCUSS10N

The distribution of kids born and dieCl among various breeJ groups during January 1975 to December ]979 are detailed in Table I. Effect of breed, age, months/season, year and diseases on kid mortality are being studied. OveraU mortality rate among kids was 32.1 %.

Effect of breeds Relatively high death rate was recorded in exotic (Alpine and Saanen) and 3 breed crosses (ASH(SAB) (Table 2). Chi-quare test indicated that mortality rate varied significantly with the breed groups. Adjusted mortality rate (Table 3) varied from 32.20 (SAB/ASB) to 40.69 (Alpine) in 6 breed groups studied, the differences being non-significant.

Effect of age A relati vely high mortality rate was recorded during the first 15 days age where di is the number of kids died in the (J 9.1 %), and thereafter tended to decrease ith age groups, with the advancing age. The lowest overall mortality rate (2.2 ~;';l was between 4 b is the total number of kids born, and 6 months of age. The differences in and mortality rates in different age groups were di-l is the number of death up to highly significant (P< O.OI). About 60% previous age group. mortality occurred from birth to 15 days The kids auctioned before attaining 6 and 75% from birth to 30 days of age. 'months of age were not included in the The fr.:quency of deaths from birth to 1 month of age was high (P