Relationships of Some Husbandry Practices with Calf Loss Rate in Dairy Farms: A Case Study of Alacam County of Samsun Province

Abstract

In this study, the relationships between some husbandry practices and calf losses in dairy farms were investigated. A total of 39 farms enrolled to Alacam Cattle Breeders Association (CBA) of Samsun, Turkey, were evaluated by structural factors (education level of farm owner: EL, personnel number: PN, experience of farm owner: EF and number of cows: NC) and husbandry practices (individual calf housing: ICH, calving pen: CP and weaning period: WP). The questionnaires for interview, observations on farm level and records of CBA belonging to 2018 and 2019 were examined. While no significant difference was found among the all groups, dead calf per farm (0.64±0.25) and mean of calf loss rate (CLR) per farm (3.42±1.07%) were assumed within the acceptable thresholds. Presenting more attention on calf rearing methods was suggested to be diminishing approach to decrease the calf mortality in the farms.