REPRODUCTIVE FAILURES IN FOOD ANIMALS - A FIVE YEAR RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW

Abstract

A total of 140 reproductive cases were recorded in food animals at the Teaching and Research farm, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, between August, 2003 and May, 2008. Of these cases, the cattle, goat, sheep and piggery sections accounted for 14.3, 38.6, 10.7 and 36.4%, respectively. In the cattle section, cases recorded were, calf mortality (30.0%), agalactia (20.0%), mastitis (20.0%), still-birth (20.0%) and maternal mortality (10.0%). Cases recorded in the goat section were kid mortality (40.7%), abortion (24.0%), retained placenta (11.1%), mastitis (5.6%), maternal mortality (5.5%), still-birth (3.7%), paraphimosis (3.7%), agalactia (3.7%) and pyometra (1.9%). In sheep section however, cases recorded were lamb mortality (66.7%), uterine prolapse (6.7%), abortion (6.7%), retained placenta (6.7%), maternal mortality (6.7%) and metritis (6.7%). Cases recorded in the piggery section were piglet mortality (64.7%), infantophagia (7.8%), paraphimosis (5.9%), metritis (3.9%), mastitis (3.9%), stillbirth (2.0%), post parturient paralysis (2.0%), pyometra (2.0%), vesico-vagina fistula (2.0%), maternal mortality (2.0%), abortion (2.0%), and congenital eye defect (2.0%). In conclusion, good management practice, good environmental condition and genetic selection were identified as the bedrock for elimination and prevention of reproductive loss in food animals especially in the area of neonatal loss. Therefore, these three factors most critical in the sustenance of high productivity.