Relative Survival of Calves in a University Herd in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

SUMMARY A follow-up life-table approach was used to study mortality in 1105 calves horn alive in a University herd in Zaria, Nigeria for the period January 1975 to June 1980. The proportion of calves in the herd surviving for the first 12 weeks was 91·3 ± 0·8%. The probability of dying was greatest during the third week of life and decreased with age after the fourth week. Suckling calves survived better than bucket-fed calves. Except for 1978, the proportion of calves surviving in the herd has been decreasing since 1975. Calves from the indigenous breeds of cattle (Ndama, White Fulani, Sokoto Gudali) had a higher proportion of survivors than their crosses with imported breeds which in turn had a higher proportion of survivors than imported pure breeds (Friesians, Charollais). It is recommended that more attention than is given now be given to the management of bucket-fed calves and calves from imported breeds during the first five weeks of life, especially during the third and fourth weeks, to reduce mortality.