Annual Livestock Mortality in A mixed Farm in Botswana Reveals Seasonality and Differences in Species, Age, and Risk Factors

Solomon S. Ramabu; Kebadire Tlotleng; Molefe Tladi; Nicodimus Mosweu; Maungo Molatole; Esau E. Waugh

Keywords:

Keywords: absolute mortality; livestock; mortality rate; risk factors

Abstract

This study aimed to determine annual livestock mortality in a farm with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and ostriches in Botswana. Data were collected weekly from March 2020 to February 2021. Post-mortem examinations were performed on a few animals from each livestock species. A questionnaire was administered to nine experienced practicing veterinarians to rate selected risk factors for relevance to livestock mortality. Simple arithmetic was used to compute absolute mortality and mortality rates. Differences in mortality rates between animal groups were determined using a statistical difference calculator. Absolute mortality was highest in summer and autumn and lowest in winter. Mortality was highest in goats and least in sheep. The mortality of young animals was more than twice that of adults. All Ostriches (n=3) died at a significantly higher rate (p < 0.05) than other livestock. Conversely, sheep died at a lower rate (p< 0.05) than other livestock. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the mortality rates of pigs and goats. Although the mortality rate of Friesian cattle (11.1%), was almost twice that of Tswana cattle (6.7%), the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Interestingly mortality rate of Tswana goats was significantly more (p < 0.05) than that of Saanen goats. Post-mortem identified Haemonchosis, heartwater, poor nutrition, and poor hygiene as either a cause or suspected cause of livestock mortality. Experts rated risk factors as either considerable causes, contributory causes, or aggravating livestock mortality. The importance of livestock mortality and the major risk factors associated with such mortality are discussed
References
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13. Herzog CM, de Glanville WA, Willett BJ, Cattadori IM, Kapur V, Hudson PJ, Buza J, Swai ES, Cleaveland S, BjørnstadON (2020) Peste des petits ruminants Virus Transmission Scaling and Husbandry Practices That Contribute to Increased Transmission Risk: An Investigation among Sheep, Goats, and Cattle in Northern Tanzania. Viruses, 12:1-20.
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19. Ramabu SS, Johansson T, Wensman JJ, Höglund J (2020) Evaluation of gastrointestinal nematode infection and levels of anthelmintic resistance in small-holder goat flocks from three villages around Gaborone, Botswana. Botswana Journal of Agriculture and Applied Sciences 14: 1–6.
20. Batisani N, Waugh EE, Mothubane O, Akanyang L (2012) The geographical prevalence and potential epidemiology of heart water. Bots J Agriculture Applied Science 8: 83-100.
21. McConnel CS, Lombard JE, Wagner BA, Garry FB (2008) Evaluation of Factors Associated with Increased Dairy Cow Mortality on United States Dairy Operations. Journal of Dairy Science 91:1423–1432.
22. Armengo R and Fraile L (2018) Descriptive study for culling and mortality in five high-producing Spanish dairy cattle farms (2006–2016). Acta Vet Scand, 60: 1-11.
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24. Ramabu SS, Kgwatalala PM, Nsoso SJ, Gasebonwe S (2018) Anaplasma infection prevalence in beef and dairy cattle in the south east region of Botswana. Veterinary Parasitology 12: 4–8
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How to cite

Ramabu, S. S., Tlotleng, K., Tladi, M., Mosweu, N., Molatole, M., & Waugh, E. E. (2023). Annual Livestock Mortality in A mixed Farm in Botswana Reveals Seasonality and Differences in Species, Age, and Risk Factors. Applied Veterinary Research, (| Accepted Articles). Retrieved from https://malque.pub/ojs/index.php/avr/article/view/671

[1] Anonymous (2014) Annual Agricultural Survey Report 2014. Statistics Botswana. pp: 11- 16

[2] Part IV: Changes in the U.S. Pork Industry, United States Department of Agriculture 1990-2000

[3] Sheep and Lamb Death Loss in the United States, 2004

[4] Godde CM, Mason-D'Croz D, Mayberry DE, Thornton PK, Herrero M (2021) Impacts of climate change on the livestock food supply chain; a review of the evidence. Global food security 28: 100488.

[5] Wong JT, Vance C, Peters A (2021) Refining livestock mortality indicators: a systematic review. Gates open research 5: 75

[6] Y. Li, Ye T, Liu W, Gao Y (2018) Linking livestock snow disaster mortality and environmental stressors in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: Quantification based on generalized additive models. Science of the Total Environ 625:87-95.

[7] Vrieling A, Meroni M, Mude AG, Chantarat S, Ummenhofer CC, de Bie K (C.A.J.M) (2016) Early assessment of seasonal forage availability for mitigating the impact of drought on East African pastoralists. Remote Sensing of Environment 174: 44-55.

[8] Dzavo T, Zindove TJ, Dhliwayo M, Chimonyo M (2019) Effects of drought on cattle production in sub-tropical environments. Tropical Animal Health and Production 51: 669–675.

[9] Vetter S, Goodall VL, Alcock R (2020) Effect of drought on communal livestock farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 37: 93-104.

[10] Rajakaruna RS and Warnakulasooriya KN (2011) Gastrointestinal parasites in dairy cattle in Kandy district in Sri Lanka. Annual Research Journal of SLSAJ 11: 92 – 99.

[11] Zhao M, Gao X, Wang J, Hea X, Han B (2013) A review of the most economically important poisonous plants to the livestock industry on temperate grasslands of China. Journal of Applied Toxicology 33: 9-17.

[12] Penrith M-L, Botha CJ, Tustin RC (2015) Plant poisonings in livestock in Brazil and South Africa. J S Afr Vet Assoc 86: 3.

[13] Herzog CM, de Glanville WA, Willett BJ, Cattadori IM, Kapur V, Hudson PJ, Buza J, Swai ES, Cleaveland S, BjørnstadON (2020) Peste des petits ruminants Virus Transmission Scaling and Husbandry Practices That Contribute to Increased Transmission Risk: An Investigation among Sheep, Goats, and Cattle in Northern Tanzania. Viruses, 12:1-20.

[14] statistical significance calculator: https://www.thecalculator.co/math/Statistical-Significance-Calculator-786.html

[15] Bonde M and Sorensen TJ (2004) Herd health management in organic pig production using a quality assurance system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. NJAS 52-2: 133-143.

[16] Fusi F, Angelucci A, Lorenzi V, Bolzoni L, Bertocchi L (2017) Assessing circumstances and causes of dairy cow death in Italian dairy farms through a veterinary practice survey (2013–2014). Preventive Veterinary Medicine 137: 105-108.

[17] Martinez ME (2018) The calendar of epidemics: Seasonal cycles of infectious diseases’’. PLoS Pathogens 14: 11. e1007327. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007327.

[18] Anonymous (2011) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

[19] Ramabu SS, Johansson T, Wensman JJ, Höglund J (2020) Evaluation of gastrointestinal nematode infection and levels of anthelmintic resistance in small-holder goat flocks from three villages around Gaborone, Botswana. Botswana Journal of Agriculture and Applied Sciences 14: 1–6.

[20] Batisani N, Waugh EE, Mothubane O, Akanyang L (2012) The geographical prevalence and potential epidemiology of heart water. Bots J Agriculture Applied Science 8: 83-100.

[21] McConnel CS, Lombard JE, Wagner BA, Garry FB (2008) Evaluation of Factors Associated with Increased Dairy Cow Mortality on United States Dairy Operations. Journal of Dairy Science 91:1423–1432.

[22] Armengo R and Fraile L (2018) Descriptive study for culling and mortality in five high-producing Spanish dairy cattle farms (2006–2016). Acta Vet Scand, 60: 1-11.

[23] Brooks-Pollock E, de Jong MCM, Keeling MJ, Klinkenberg D, Wooda JLN (2014) Eight challenges in modelling infectious livestock diseases. Epidemics 10: 1-5.

[24] Ramabu SS, Kgwatalala PM, Nsoso SJ, Gasebonwe S (2018) Anaplasma infection prevalence in beef and dairy cattle in the south east region of Botswana. Veterinary Parasitology 12: 4–8

[25] Baxter EM and Edwards SA (2018) Piglet mortality and morbidity: inevitable or unacceptable? Advances in Pig Welfare. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-101012-9.00003-4. .

[26] Botha CJ and Penrithb M L (2008) Poisonous plants of veterinary and human importance in southern Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacol 119: 549–558

Abstract

References

How to cite