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261. A study of the mortality rates of calves in 335 herds in England and Wales (together with some limited observations for Scotland)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

R. Lovell
Affiliation:
Research Institute in Animal Pathology, Royal Veterinary College, London
A. Bradford Hill
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London

Extract

1. With the assistance of the Central Council of Milk Recording Societies of England and Wales and its affiliated Societies, particulars were obtained of the calf losses, pre-natal and post-natal, sustained in 1936–7 by 315 herds situated in different counties of England and Wales. Further data were collected from twenty private owners in England and from forty-seven herds in a limited area in Scotland.

2. The herds in England and Wales were chosen in such a way as to give a fair representation of the geographical distribution of the cow population throughout the country. It is obvious, however, that they are a selected sample in which a relatively high standard of husbandry might be expected to prevail and their rates of mortality, therefore, will probably be below that of the general run of herds.

3. Owing to the early disposal of bull calves the losses of males after the first week of life are likely to be considerably understated. It is, therefore, wise to confine attention mainly to the figures for females.

4. In the 335 herds of England and Wales 12,544 female calves were born and of these 693, or 5°5 %, died before the age of 6 months.

5. Of 26,440 total births reported in England and Wales, 1231, or 4°4 %, were of stillborn animals.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1940

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References

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