Prenatal Factors Influencing Calf Morbidity and Mortality in Dairy Cattle: A Systematic Review of the Literature (2000-2024)

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically review the literature of the last 24 years to determine the influence of dam heat stress, nutrition, body condition, vaccination, parity, and twin pregnancy on calf morbidity and mortality. The systematic search was carried out using PubMed, CAB Abstracts, and Web of Science databases. The final number of included studies was 11 for heat stress, 21 for nutrition, 11 for body condition, 11 for vaccination, 23 for parity, and 18 for twin pregnancy. The body condition score, parity, and twin pregnancy had an influence on perinatal mortality. Vaccination, parity, and twin pregnancy had an influence on mortality up to weaning. Heat stress, nutrition, and twin pregnancy had an influence on the immunoglobulin transfer to the calves. Nutrition, body condition score, vaccination, and parity had an influence on morbidity. This systematic review provides evidence that prenatal factors have an influence on calf morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: calf welfare; epigenetic effects; gestation.

Figure 1

Flow diagram for the systematic review of studies investigating the effect of heat stress on calf morbidity and mortality, showing the number of studies that were screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the systematic review according to [32].

Figure 2

Effect of antepartum temperature–humidity index (THI) on nearly no transfer of IgG in calves. The odds ratio is shown as solid squares, and its 95% confidence interval is shown as whiskers. The control group’s THI was ≤70 in the last 90 days of gestation. * Average THI ≥ 80 in the last 90 days of gestation. ** Average THI of 70 to 80 in the last 90 days of gestation [36].

Figure 3

Flow diagram for the systematic review of studies investigating the effect of antepartum nutrition on calf morbidity and mortality, showing the number of studies that were screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the systematic review according to [32].

Figure 4

Effect of feeding rumen-protected lysine for 26 days antepartum on * medication (electrolytes and/or antibiotics) and ** antibiotic use in bull calves over the first 56 days of life. The odds ratio is shown as solid squares, and its 95% confidence interval is shown as whiskers. No supplementation of lysine was performed antepartum in the control group [61].

Figure 5

Flow diagram for the systematic review of studies investigating the effect of antepartum body condition score (BCS) on calf morbidity and mortality, showing the number of studies that were screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the systematic review according to [32].

Figure 6

Effect of antepartum body condition score (BCS) on perinatal mortality of calves. The odds ratio is shown as solid squares, and its 95% confidence interval is shown as whiskers. * BCS < 3.25, control group BCS = 3.25–3.75; ** BCS > 3.75, control group BCS = 3.25–3.75; *** Heifer BCS ≥ 3.75, control group BCS ≤ 3; **** Heifer BCS = 3.25–3.5, control group BCS ≥ 3.75 [18,86].

Figure 7

Flow diagram for the systematic review of studies investigating the effect of dam vaccination on calf morbidity and mortality, showing the number of studies that were screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the systematic review according to [32].

Figure 8

Effect of dam vaccination on calf mortality. The effect estimate is shown as solid squares, and its 95% confidence interval is shown as whiskers. * Vaccination of dams against calf diarrhea and postnatal mortality (3–14 days); ** vaccination of dams against calf diarrhea, preweaning mortality (15–55 days); *** vaccination of dams against bovine respiratory disease (BRD), mortality due to BRD; **** vaccination of dams against BRD, overall mortality; ***** vaccination of dams against calf diarrhea + ≥14 days feeding on transition milk, mortality due to diarrhea (21 days); ****** vaccination of dams against calf diarrhea + <14 days feeding on transition milk, mortality due to diarrhea (21 days); ******* no consistent vaccination of dams against calf diarrhea, mortality due to diarrhea (21 days) [19,100,102].

Figure 9

Flow diagram for the systematic review of studies investigating the effect of parity on morbidity and mortality, showing the number of studies that were screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the systematic review according to [32].

Figure 10

Effect of dam parity on perinatal mortality of calves. The effect estimate is shown as solid squares, and its 95% confidence interval is shown as whiskers. Parity ≥ 2, control group parity = 1 [10,20,21,85,87,88,114,115,117,118,119,122,124].

Figure 11

Flow diagram for the systematic review of studies investigating the effect of twin pregnancy on calf morbidity and mortality, showing the number of studies that were screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the systematic review according to [32].

Figure 12

Effect of twin pregnancy on perinatal mortality of calves. The effect estimate is shown as solid squares, and its 95% confidence interval is shown as whiskers. OR of perinatal mortality, control group: singletons [20,21,85,87,114,115,116,117,118,119,122,124,134].