Artículos de Revista en Ciencias Agrarias · 1998
Análisis y caracterización de la mortalidad en lactancia en ganado cebú comercial y BON x Cebú en la Hacienda La Candelaria (Caucasia, Antioquia)
ABSTRACT: In order to characterize the causes of calving to weaning mortality and to compare BON x Zebu (BxC) and Commercial Zebu (CCO) performance during the lactation period in the Hacienda La Candelaria of the University of Antioquia, a 1990 to 1997 record-based retrospective study was performed. From a total number of 475 calving pondered mortality was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in BxC (5.4%) than CCO (19.6%) calves, on a 240 days average of lactation. Causes and average age of detected mortality included: calf weakness, 25.4% (8.9 days); accident, 15.5% (27.8 days); stillbirths, 15.5% (0.5 days); undernourishment, 11.3% (16.9 days); infections, 9.9% (15.3 days); and unknown causes, 17% (18.1 days). No association was found between sex and mortality (p > 0.05). These results suggest that a high percentage of mortality could be related to an inadequate management during the neonatal period. Causes of mortality classified as infections, weakness, undernourishment and unknown could be associated to omphalitis. In addition the results show a reduced mortality of BxC crossbred during the lactation and could be argued as a reflection of the rusticity and fitness of BON cattle. Further studies, focused on the characterization of the immune response of cows and calves, should serve to evaluate this possibility.