Abstract
A longitudinal study was conducted, from October 2008 to April 2009, on 188 kids born from flocks of 50 randomly selected households in Aneno and Edokontola villages in Adamitulu Jedokombolcha district, mid rift valley, Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to estimate pre-weaning mortality, identify associated factors and establish possible causes of death in goat kids. Data collected were used to evaluate the effect of sex, birth weight, parity, type of birth and some management practices on pre-weaning mortality. All the factors, except sex of the kid, significantly (at least P<0.05) influenced the mortality of kids. Generally mortality increased (P<0.05) with parity. There were more deaths in kids born in triplets than in twins and single litters. Management practices such as keeping new born kids with their doe near homestead, and separation of sick animals had significantly reduced (P<0.001) pre-weaning kid mortality. Mismothering was the most frequently suspected cause of mortality followed by pneumonia, enzootic ataxia, diarrhea, goat pox and predators. The study revealed the existence of very high kid mortality in the study area. Supplementation of multiple-bearing pregnant does and nursing does with multiple litters may be considered to reduce pre-weaning kid lose. Key words: Adamitulu, Ethiopia, goat, kid, mortality, pre-weaning.
Highlights
Goat production is affected both by genetic and environmental factors
A longitudinal study was conducted, from October 2008 to April 2009, on 188 kids born from flocks of 50 randomly selected households in Aneno and Edokontola villages in Adamitulu Jedokombolcha district, mid rift valley, Ethiopia
Several factors had been reported in the literature to affect mortality rate in goat kids such as type of birth, sex of kid, birth weight of kid, parity order, season of kidding and age of the kid (Awemu et al, 1999; Mtenga et al, 1993; Turkson, 2003; Turkson et al, 2004; Hailu et al, 2006)
Summary
One of the most important production factors that adversely affect goat production is high pre-weaning mortality of young kids (Devendra and Burns, 1970). In addition to the immediate economic loss, has a direct effect on genetic progress by its effect on selection pressure. A high mortality may represent a compromised animal welfare which poses ethical concern in animal production (Martin et al, 2004). Several factors had been reported in the literature to affect mortality rate in goat kids such as type of birth, sex of kid, birth weight of kid, parity order, season of kidding and age of the kid (Awemu et al, 1999; Mtenga et al, 1993; Turkson, 2003; Turkson et al, 2004; Hailu et al, 2006). Higher kid mortality occurs at birth and from birth to weaning while mortality is relatively low from weaning to breeding age in many production systems (Mtenga et al, 1993; Donkin and Boyazoglu, 2004)
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