Risk factors for death and unwanted early slaughter in Swiss veal calves kept at a specific animal welfare standard

Bähler, Corinne; Steiner, Adrian; Luginbühl, A.; Ewy, A.; Posthaus, Horst; Strabel, D.; Kaufmann, Thomas; Regula, Gertraud (2012). Risk factors for death and unwanted early slaughter in Swiss veal calves kept at a specific animal welfare standard. Research in veterinary science, 92(1), pp. 162-168. Association for Veterinary Teaching and Research Work 10.1016/j.rvsc.2010.10.009

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Calf losses (CL, mortality and unwanted early slaughter) in veal production are of great economic importance and an indicator of welfare. The objective of the present study was to evaluate CL and the causes of death on farms with a specific animal welfare standard (SAW) which exceeds the Swiss statutory regulations. Risk factors for CL were identified based on information about management, housing, feeding, and medication. In total, 74 production cohorts (2783 calves) of 15 farms were investigated. CL was 3.6%, the main causes of death were digestive disorders (52%), followed by respiratory diseases (28%). Factors significantly associated with an increased risk for CL were a higher number of individual daily doses of antibiotics (DDA), insufficient wind deflection in winter, and male gender. For administration of antibiotics to all calves of the cohort, a DDA of 14-21 was associated with a decreased risk for CL compared to a DDA of 7-13 days.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Research Foci > Veterinary Public Health / Herd Health Management
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV) > Clinic for Ruminants
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Veterinary Public Health Institute
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) > Institute of Animal Pathology
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH)

UniBE Contributor:

Bähler, Corinne, Steiner, Adrian, Posthaus, Horst, Kaufmann, Thomas (A), Schüpbach-Regula, Gertraud Irene

Subjects:

600 Technology > 630 Agriculture
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

0034-5288

Publisher:

Association for Veterinary Teaching and Research Work

Language:

English

Submitter:

Gertraud Irene Regula

Date Deposited:

27 Mar 2014 17:48

Last Modified:

29 Mar 2023 23:33

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.rvsc.2010.10.009

PubMed ID:

21094507

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.40682

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/40682

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