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. 2022 Aug 19;12(16):2126.
doi: 10.3390/ani12162126.

Reducing Calf Mortality in Ethiopia

Johanna T Wong  1 , Jennifer K Lane  2 , Fiona K Allan  1 , Gema Vidal  2 , Ciara Vance  1 , Meritxell Donadeu  3 , Wendi Jackson  2 , Veronica Nwankpa  4 , Shubisa Abera  5 , Getnet Abie Mekonnen  5 , Nigatu Kebede  6 , Berhanu Admassu  7 , Kassaw Amssalu  8 , Alemayehu Lemma  9 , Tsegaw Fentie  10 , Woutrina Smith  2 , Andrew R Peters  1
Affiliations

Reducing Calf Mortality in Ethiopia

Johanna T Wong et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Morbidity and mortality of young stock present economic and production challenges to livestock producers globally. In Ethiopia, calf morbidity and mortality rates, particularly due to diarrhea and respiratory disease, are high, limiting production, incomes, and the ability of farmers to improve their livelihoods. In this paper, we present findings from the combined experience of the Young Stock Mortality Reduction Consortium, which conducted epidemiological and intervention testing in calves across three production systems. This innovative alliance identified Cryptosporidium parvum and E. Coli K99 as the most common causes of diarrhea in pastoral and peri-urban calves; Strongyloides spp. as the most common fecal parasite in mixed crop-livestock and peri-urban calves; and bovine adenovirus, parainfluenza virus-3, and bovine respiratory syncytial virus as the most common respiratory pathogens in peri-urban calves. Furthermore, by improving producer knowledge with respect to fundamental livestock husbandry, feeding, housing, and neonatal care practices, calf mortality risk across production systems was reduced by 31.4 to 71.4% compared to baseline (between 10.5 and 32.1%), whereas risk of diarrhea was reduced by 52.6-75.3% (baseline between 11.4 and 30.4%) and risk of respiratory disease was reduced by 23.6-80.8% (baseline between 3.3 and 16.3%). These findings have informed scaling strategies and can potentially contribute to improved livestock productivity and human livelihoods in Ethiopia.

Keywords: Ethiopia; calf mortality; diarrhea; mixed crop–livestock production; pastoral production; peri-urban production; respiratory disease; youngstock mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Neither USAID nor the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation played a role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript; however, the MoA was instrumental in study design and data collection. Some manuscript authors are employed by the MoA or other Ethiopian government institutions.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of Ethiopia with study sites labelled. Map by Bouzinc, 2020—Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95981571 (accessed on 10 August 2021).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diarrhea test results by age group in (a) pastoral and (b) peri-urban production systems.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The proportion of enrolled mixed crop–livestock households with baseline and final evaluation data with either (a) no change in intervention area practices during the study period but were already optimal at the start of the study, (b) positive change, or (c) no or negative change in intervention areas.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The proportion of enrolled pastoralist households with baseline and final evaluation data with either (a) no change in intervention area practices during the study period but were already optimal at the start of the study, (b) positive change, or (c) no or negative change in intervention areas. N.B. Navel dipping and calf pens were not selected interventions for the pastoral system.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The proportion of enrolled peri-urban households with baseline and final evaluation data with either (a) no change in intervention area practices during the study period but were already optimal at the start of the study, (b) positive change, or (c) no or negative change in intervention areas.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Change in average mortality risk in calves between baseline and final overall evaluation and for each production system with standard deviation bars.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Change in average diarrhea risk in calves between baseline and final overall evaluation and for each production system with standard deviation bars.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Change in average respiratory disease risk in calves between baseline and final overall evaluation and for each production system with standard deviation bars.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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