Perinatal and Early Postnatal Calf Motility

Effect of dystocia, breeding group, cow age and calf sex on periand early postnatal (within 24 hr. after birth) mortality was studied. Data obtained from 1967 to 1972 included 5,064 parturitions from 18 breeding groups. Approximately 35% of the parturitions were from 2,year-old cows, 24% from 3-year-olds and 41% from cows 4 years and older. Type of parturition was divided into four classifications: no dystocia, calfpuller, surgical removal (C-section) and posterior presentation. Overall mortality was 8.6% (436 of 5,064). Calf losses at or near the time of birth were four times greater (P < .01) in calves experiencing dystocia (20.4%) than in those not experiencing dystocia (5.0%). Calf losses were not significantly different among the three types of dystocia parturitions. Calf sex, cow age and breeding group significantly (P < .01) influenced the proportion of dystocia parturitions. In dystocia parturitions, calf losses were higher (P < .05) in males (22.4%) than in feinales (16.3%), but there was no significant difference in mortality between sexes for calves not requiring assistance at birth. Calf losses were higher (P < .01) in 2-year -old cows with no dystocia than in 3-year-olds and those >t-4 years of age, but cow age had no significant influence on calf mortality in parturitions involving dystocia. Mortality ranged from 5.5% for Jersey x Angus to 14.5% for Charolais x Angus. Breeding group affected (P < .01) calf mortality in parturitions involving dystocia, but did not significantly influence mortality in unassisted parturitions.