Effect of management and inherent factors on birth seropositivity and seroconversion to Babesia bovis in calves in Costa Rica.

Abstract

The relationship between calf characteristics, farm management, seropositivity, and age at seroconversion to Babesia bovis was assessed. A total of 3624 samples obtained from 494 animals on 11 farms was analyzed by an indirect ELISA assay, and individual results classified as positive or negative. The animals were sampled from birth to weaning, beginning in April 1990 and ending in April 1992. We found 59.1% (n = 467) of seropositive neonatal calves (mean age 4.4 days). Using a logistic binomial regression model as the analytical method for predicting the likelihood of calf seropositivity, we found that the following factors were related to seroconversion at birth: time to colostrum consumption, place of birth, calving history, parity (number of lactations), and ecological life zone. To analyze the effect of management factors on time to seroconversion, we used the Proportional Hazards method. In this model the pattern of seroconversion was different for the type of production system. Calves from dual-purpose farms seroconverted earlier than calves from cow-calf farms.