Vol. 12, Special Issue 8 (2023)

Author(s):
Vidya B and RMV Prasad

Abstract:
A study was conducted over a five-year period, from 2018 to 2022, in an organized farm in Telangana to assess the mortality patterns in native sheep and goat breeds. This study includes a total of 665 Deccani sheep and 270 Osmanabadi goats. The overall mortality rates were found to be 8.18% for Deccani sheep and 11.44% for Osmanabadi goats. Notably, the mortality rate was higher in goats compared to sheep. The year 2020 recorded the highest mortality rates for both species. Pneumonia was identified as the primary cause of mortality in both sheep and goats, followed by enteritis. Furthermore, the mortality rates were found to be higher during the south-west monsoon season, with sheep experiencing a death loss of 40% and goats experiencing a death loss of 46.6%. Additionally, female individuals of both sheep (56%) and goats (76.66%) exhibited higher mortality rates compared to males. The mortality rate can be reduced by implementing appropriate measures pertaining to herd management and disease control.