Prevalence and causes of mortality in newly born Ouda and Balami lambs in northern Nigeria.

摘要

This report studied 408 live born lambs in Nigeria between September and December 1982. Of the 225 Ouda and 183 Balami lambs, 21.3% and 14.2% respectively died within the first week of life. Significant differences in mortality rates were observed between Balami twins (42.3%) and singles (9.6%). Starvation, due to dam desertion of the lamb on pasture, was the main cause of death (29.7%), followed by septicaemia (20.3%). Inability to stand and suck due to low birth weight was responsible for 17.6% of deaths, and bronchopneumonia 12.2%. It is concluded that these main 4 causes of death could be prevented by housing ewes and lambs at parturition and for 1 week after to significantly prevent lamb losses and improve flock productivity.