Reproductive performance of northern Australia beef herds. 6. Risk factors associated with reproductive losses between confirmed pregnancy and weaning
G. Fordyce
A , K. D. McCosker B C , T. S. Barnes A , N. R. Perkins C D , P. K. O’Rourke E and M. R. McGowan C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, Carmody Road, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
B Department of Primary Industry and Resources, PO Box 1346, Katherine, NT 0851, Australia.
C The University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Warrego Highway, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
D Formerly AusVet Animal Health Services, PO Box 1278, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.
E Queensland Institute of Medical Research, 300 Herston Road, Herston, Qld 4006, Australia.
F Corresponding author. Email: g.fordyce@uq.edu.au
Animal Production Science - https://doi.org/10.1071/AN19441
Submitted: 2 August 2019 Accepted: 1 October 2020 Published online: 22 February 2022
Abstract
Context: High and variable fetal and calf loss in beef herds occurs across northern Australia. Reasons for the majority of these losses, a major cost to the industry, have remained unknown.
Aims: The research question was, which of the 58 region-, property-, management group-, and animal-level risk factors measured are associated with pregnant females failing to wean their calf?
Methods: An epidemiological study measured fetal and calf loss (consistently expressed as % points) between confirmed pregnancy and weaning and the major associated risk factors using a selected population from 55 commercial beef breeding herds representing 23 166 pregnancies in the mostly dry tropical environment of northern Australia.
Key results: Median fetal and calf loss was 9.5% with large variation. Achievable levels appeared to be <10% for Northern Forest herds, and <5% for Southern Forest, Central Forest and Northern Downs herds. The risk factors most strongly associated with fetal and calf loss were low-fertility country type interacting with phosphorus inadequacy (up to 10% increase), low body condition score interacting with phosphorus inadequacy (up to 8% increase), tall cows (up to 4% increase), and high temperature–humidity index around calving interacting with country type (up to 7% increase). These are nutritional and environmental risk factors and had the combined highest individual effect and frequency. Other risk factors associated with fetal and calf loss included first-lactation cows, which interacted with mustering around calving (up to 9% increase), having not reared a calf in the previous year interacting with cow age (up to 8% increase), low mustering efficiency (up to 9% increase), perceived predation by wild dogs (4–5% increase), high prevalence of Campylobacter fetus sp. venerealis antibodies (7% increase), recent infection with bovine viral diarrhoea virus (9% increase), and inadequate dry-season protein (4% increase).
Conclusions: The combined effects of environmental, nutritional and management risk factors on fetal and calf loss in northern Australia were large and additive and were much greater, collectively up to 30–40%, and more consistent than that due to either endemic infectious diseases or animal factors.
Implications: Opportunity for remedial action is high and, for the effect of non-infectious risk factors, should target milk delivery to neonatal calves.
Keywords: calf loss, northern Australia, reproductive wastage.
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