Factors affecting survivability of Jamunapari kids under semi-intensive management system

Abstract

Factors affecting survivability from birth to weaning were examined in 3099 Jamunapari kids born during 1985 to 2003 at CIRG, Makhdoom, Uttar Pradesh, India. Results revealed significant effect of age, birth weight, season and year of birth, sex of kids, type of kidding, type of disease, age x disease interaction, parity and dam's milk yield in first 90 days. First fortnight of birth was critical for survivability and accounted for 69.03% of the total pre-weaning mortality and after that, there was substantial decline in mortality with the advancement in age of kids. Lower birth weight of kids up to 2.5 kg accounted for 51% loss of their total birth, which decreased almost linearly with the increase in birth weight. Significantly lower survivability recorded among multiple births, dams with high body weight (>55 kg) at kidding and low «40 kg) and high (>150 kg) milk yield of dams in first 90 days. Kids born in first parity and kiddings those occurred during spring season were also associated with higher mortality. Major causes of mortality in preweaned kids were pneumonia, pneumo-enteritis, colibacillosis, acidosis, enteritis/gastro-enteritis and diarrhoea. The survivability was 89.29, 96.95 and 97.36% of kids' strength in 0 to 30, 31 to 60 and 61 to 90 days, respectively.