STUDY OF FACTORS INFLUENCING NOTIFICATION OF BOVINE ABORTIONS BY PRACTICING VETERINARIANS ON DAIRY CATTLE FARMS IN EASTERN ALGERIA.

Abstract

Bovine abortion is one of the most important causes of economic losses in Algerian cattle farms and industry. A descriptive epidemiological survey was conducted from November 2021 to November 2022 in eastern Algeria to quantify the extent of this scourge and to evaluate the risk factors for reporting abortions using a questionnaire intended for 150 practising veterinarians randomly distributed in five wilayas of eastern Algeria. The statistical analysis of the different risk factors was carried out using a univariate and then multivariate logistic regression model. The results obtained showed that 83.3% of the veterinarians audited had had an abortion rate of more than 5% during the previous 12 months. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, one risk factor and one protective factor were identified. Indeed, all the areas studied had a very high risk of bovine abortion cases: Batna (odds ratio [OR] = 24.53; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39 - 278.66), Sétif (OR= 73.08; 95% CI: 4.37-669.68), Mila (OR= 245.22; CI: 18.51 - 2306.71) and Bordj Bou Arreridj (OR= 49.09; CI: 3.57-738.69). However, the summer season (OR= 0.23; 95% CI: 0.06 - 0.48) was considered a protective factor, designated as the period of least reporting of abortions by the audited veterinarians compared to winter and autumn.