Constraints and incidence of camel calf morbidity and mortality in Borana rangeland, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the incidence of mortality and morbidity rates of camel calves (birth to 180 day) and associated risk factors. Results showed that diseases, parasite infections, feed shortage, inadequate veterinary services and recurrent drought were the major constraints. Out of 205 calves, 185 had manifested 256 disease symptoms and 34 of them were died. Thus, a calf had 74.7% and 16.4% likelihood of developing a disease and dying during the cohort period. The incidence of diarrhea, pneumonia, camel pox and septicemia were 59, 51, 38 and 17 cases per 100 calves-six-months at risk, respectively. The risk of diarrhea (hazard ratio = 1.15) and pneumonia (HR = 1.48) were higher during the wet season and in calves kept on communal grazing than others. The hazard of camel pox incidence was higher during dry periods and in calves fed limited amount of colostrum. The mortality rate was found to be lower among calves above three months (HR = 0.31), calves with normal delivery (HR = 0.32) and those kept at homestead (HR = 0.45) compared to others. The hazards of mortality were 6.80 and 3.02 times higher during the dry season than wet period and in calves that consumed less colostrum than their counterparts.