Risk factors of abortion in sheep and goat herds in south of Kerman

Abstract

Introduction: This research was conducted in order to identify the risk factors
affecting abortion in the sheep and goat population in the south of Kerman.
Materials & Methods: Therefore, two questionnaires were prepared, the first was
about the individual and environmental risk factors related to mother and fetus and the
second questionnaire was related to livestock and herds. Data analysis was performed
using Minitab software and regression method and the correlation coefficient and
significance for the predictor variables were presented.
Results: The results showed that the mean age of mothers was 33.4 months and the
mean age of aborted fetuses was 3.5 months. Data analysis also showed that the
highest rate of aborted fetuses occurred at the age of 3 to 4 months with about 57%
and the lowest rate of abortions occurred in fetuses less than one month old with about
6%.80% of abortions occurred on the farm, 34% of abortions were twins and 81% of
abortions occurred in hot weather. The results of this study showed that the
maintenance system and the region had a significant effect on the incidence of abortion
and in animals that kept in the open system and animals kept in warm region had
significantly higher abortion rates (P<0.001). Manual feeding and use of disinfectants
significantly reduced the rate of abortion (P<0.001). With decreasing ratio of manger
to livestock Abortion increased significantly (P<0.001).
Conclusion: With increasing the age of livestock and the number of livestock, the
rate of abortion increased significantly .