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Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina

The aim of this study was to 1) estimate dairy calf mortality from birth to weaning in Argentinean herds, and 2) identify associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2019 and March 2020 in one of Argentina's most important dairy regions. A total of 77 dairy farms...

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Main Authors: Welschen, Nicolas Mario, Alvarado, Wanda, Miotti, Camila, Peña, Agostina, Zbrun, María Virginia, Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro, Molineri, Ana Ines
Format: Artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2025
Subjects:
Ganado de Leche
Ternero
Destete
Factores de Riesgo
Pastoreo
Argentina
Dairy Cattle
Calves
Weaning
Risk Factors
Grazing
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/23070
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167587725001710
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106586
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author Welschen, Nicolas Mario
Alvarado, Wanda
Miotti, Camila
Peña, Agostina
Zbrun, María Virginia
Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro
Molineri, Ana Ines
author_browse Alvarado, Wanda
Miotti, Camila
Molineri, Ana Ines
Peña, Agostina
Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro
Welschen, Nicolas Mario
Zbrun, María Virginia
author_facet Welschen, Nicolas Mario
Alvarado, Wanda
Miotti, Camila
Peña, Agostina
Zbrun, María Virginia
Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro
Molineri, Ana Ines
author_sort Welschen, Nicolas Mario
collection INTA Digital
description The aim of this study was to 1) estimate dairy calf mortality from birth to weaning in Argentinean herds, and 2) identify associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2019 and March 2020 in one of Argentina's most important dairy regions. A total of 77 dairy farms were included in the study. Potential explanatory variables were obtained from a checklist questionnaire answered by calf nursers. Dairy calf mortality was modelled using a generalized linear model applying a binomial distribution (number of calves that died in the previous year / total number of calves born alive during the last year) and logistic link function. The mean calf mortality was 10.1 % (95 %CI 9.6–10.6 %). The associated risk factors of calf mortality were work experience, navel disinfection, climate protection, colostrum management, weaning decisions, the number of calf nursers, and the ratio of live-born calves per cow. Calf mortality is higher when there is less work experience (Odds Ratio -OR- = 6.25; 95 %CI 4.17–10), no navel disinfection is performed (OR = 1.75; 95 %CI 1.50–2.02), there is less climate protection (extreme weather protection of the calves, OR = 1.66; 95 %IC 1.40–1.19), colostrum management is poor (OR = 2.17; 95 %IC 1.64–2.94), weaning is based on calf´s size (OR = 1.22; 95 %IC 1.05–1.41), there is a reduced number of calf nursers (OR = 0.84; 95 %CI 0.75–0.95), and the ratio of live-born calves per cow is low (OR = 0.63; 95 %CI 0.38–1.06). In summary, the mortality risk of dairy calves in Argentina was associated with different aspects related to the calf nursers (number and work experience), calving management (colostrum management, weaning method, climate protection, and navel disinfection), and the efficiency of the dairy farm (ratio of live-born caves per cow).
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institution Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina)
language Inglés
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
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spelling INTA230702025-09-12T11:52:03Z Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina Welschen, Nicolas Mario Alvarado, Wanda Miotti, Camila Peña, Agostina Zbrun, María Virginia Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro Molineri, Ana Ines Ganado de Leche Ternero Destete Factores de Riesgo Pastoreo Argentina Dairy Cattle Calves Weaning Risk Factors Grazing The aim of this study was to 1) estimate dairy calf mortality from birth to weaning in Argentinean herds, and 2) identify associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2019 and March 2020 in one of Argentina's most important dairy regions. A total of 77 dairy farms were included in the study. Potential explanatory variables were obtained from a checklist questionnaire answered by calf nursers. Dairy calf mortality was modelled using a generalized linear model applying a binomial distribution (number of calves that died in the previous year / total number of calves born alive during the last year) and logistic link function. The mean calf mortality was 10.1 % (95 %CI 9.6–10.6 %). The associated risk factors of calf mortality were work experience, navel disinfection, climate protection, colostrum management, weaning decisions, the number of calf nursers, and the ratio of live-born calves per cow. Calf mortality is higher when there is less work experience (Odds Ratio -OR- = 6.25; 95 %CI 4.17–10), no navel disinfection is performed (OR = 1.75; 95 %CI 1.50–2.02), there is less climate protection (extreme weather protection of the calves, OR = 1.66; 95 %IC 1.40–1.19), colostrum management is poor (OR = 2.17; 95 %IC 1.64–2.94), weaning is based on calf´s size (OR = 1.22; 95 %IC 1.05–1.41), there is a reduced number of calf nursers (OR = 0.84; 95 %CI 0.75–0.95), and the ratio of live-born calves per cow is low (OR = 0.63; 95 %CI 0.38–1.06). In summary, the mortality risk of dairy calves in Argentina was associated with different aspects related to the calf nursers (number and work experience), calving management (colostrum management, weaning method, climate protection, and navel disinfection), and the efficiency of the dairy farm (ratio of live-born caves per cow). EEA Rafaela Fil: Welschen, Nicolas Mario. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Welschen, Nicolas Mario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Alvarado, Wanda. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Alvarado, Wanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Miotti, Camila. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Miotti, Camila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Peña, Agostina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Peña, Agostina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Zbrum, M.V. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Zbrum, M.V. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Molineri, Ana Inés. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina Fil: Molineri, Ana Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); Argentina 2025-07-18T10:53:32Z 2025-07-18T10:53:32Z 2025-09 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/23070 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167587725001710 0167-5877 1873-1716 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106586 eng info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2019-PE-E1-I018-001, Crecimiento del rodeo lechero (crianza, recría y manejo en el primer estadio de la lactancia) info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) application/pdf Elsevier Preventive Veterinary Medicine 242 : 106586. (September 2025)
spellingShingle Ganado de Leche
Ternero
Destete
Factores de Riesgo
Pastoreo
Argentina
Dairy Cattle
Calves
Weaning
Risk Factors
Grazing
Welschen, Nicolas Mario
Alvarado, Wanda
Miotti, Camila
Peña, Agostina
Zbrun, María Virginia
Signorini Porchiett, Marcelo Lisandro
Molineri, Ana Ines
Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina
title Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina
title_full Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina
title_fullStr Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina
title_full_unstemmed Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina
title_short Risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture-based dairy herds in Argentina
title_sort risk factors associated with calf mortality from birth to weaning in pasture based dairy herds in argentina
topic Ganado de Leche
Ternero
Destete
Factores de Riesgo
Pastoreo
Argentina
Dairy Cattle
Calves
Weaning
Risk Factors
Grazing
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/23070
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167587725001710
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106586
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