doi: How to cite this article: 10.14202/vetworld.2014. Hossain MM, Islam MS, Kamal AHM, Rahman AKMA and Cho HS (2014) Dairy cattle mortality in an organized herd in Bangladesh, 7(5): 331-336. Veterinary World 331-336 Introduction Dairy cattle mortality is a severe problem for the dairy industry. Mortality has been steadily increasing during the last 2 decades all over the world [1]. The mortality rate increased from 2.6 to 5.7% in the United States from 1996 to 2007 [2], and in Ireland from 3.3 to 4.4% between 2002 and 2006 [3]. Shaikh [4] conducted a study on morbidity and mortality in cattle covering four regions of Maharashtra and reported that the overall morbidity and mortality rate in cattle was 19.22% & 12.48%, respectively. Mortality among dairy cattle results in financial loss, including the value of the lost cattle, cost of replacement, loss of milk production, and extra labor [5]. Therefore, it constitutes a problem of animal welfare and farm economy. Several herd-level risk factors for mortality have been identified, such as herd size, herd management, SCC and milk yield [5-7]. Mortality patterns in organized dairy herds serve as a useful indicator for assessing the status of herd health and the efficacy of management programs [8]. A rise in mortality among a group of cattle can indicate sub- optimal health and welfare [9]. Bangladesh is a densely populated country with an agricultural-based economy and its livestock play an important role. Agricultural livestock account for about 6.5% of total income and about 25% of the country's population are directly involved in this sector. Dairy industry is a crucial component of an agro-based economy for a country like Bangladesh [10]. Inadequate feeding, widespread disease, and inefficient extension services are considered among the most binding constraints on livestock development in Bangladesh. The Directorate of Livestock Services (DLS), Government of Bangladesh has established a Central Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm (CCBDF) at Savar, Dhaka to meet the excessive demands for milk, particularly for the capital city. The success of the CCBDF partly depends on sound health management of the animals and efficient production techniques. However, diseases are one of the major health constraints for livestock development in Bangladesh. Calf mortality in every dairy and breeding farm results in financial and genetic loss. Cattle mortality was shown to be the major cause of economic losses on a dairy farm in Bangladesh [11]. Therefore, reductions in morbidity and mortality rate are the first and foremost targets of dairy farm management [8]. Identification of factors that are responsible for the death of cattle is an important prerequisite for avoiding excessive mortality. An epidemiological approach usually involves collecting and evaluating pre-existing data to find associations with the problem. Veterinary World, EISSN: 2231-0916 Available at www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.7/May-2014/12.pdf Dairy cattle mortality in an organized herd in Bangladesh M. M. Hossain , M. S. Islam , A. H. M. Kamal , A. K. M. A. Rahman and H. S. Cho 1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 2. Department of Medicine, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh; 3. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Obstatrics, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh; 4. Department of Medicine, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh M. M. Hossain, email: mukter.sau@gmail.com 17-03-2014, 10-04-2014, 16-04-2014, 19-05-2014 1, 2 3 2 4 1 Corresponding author: Received: Revised: Accepted: Published online: 1, Abstract Aim: Materials and Methods: Results: Conclusions: Keywords: The present study was conducted to find out the causes and factors affecting the dairy cattle mortality. A retrospective study of dairy cattle mortality on the Central Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm (CCBDF) in Bangladesh was carried out between 1992 and 2007. Sixteen years of data on mortality of dairy cattle were analyzed for the effects of year, season, age, sex, breed, and etiology on mortality rate. The average overall mortality rate was 5.60% and on average, female cattle (55.71%) were found to die more than males (44.29%). Mortality was more in crossbred cattle than in indigenous breed. Higher mortality of cattle was observed in rainy season (37.98%) followed by winter (33.03%) and summer (28.99%). The major causes of death were diseases of the respiratory tract, mainly pneumonia (39.91%). Tuberculosis was the second most common cause of mortality accounting for 20.58% of deaths. The other major cause of death was disease of the alimentary tract, mainly enteritis (15.58%). Other causes of death occurred in the following frequencies: malnutrition (5.91%), debility (4.43%), hairball (3.35%), tympanitis (2.56%), babesiosis (2.27%), internal haemorrhage (2.16%), black quarter (1.76%), and foot and mouth disease (1.48%). Of the four potential risk factors investigated, age was the most important factor and significantly associated with mortality. During the first month of life, calves had a higher risk of mortality than adults. mortality. Bangladesh, dairy cattle, RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Veterinary World, EISSN: 2231-0916 331 Copyright: The authors. 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