Retrospective study of dystocia in dairy cows in SaesieTsaeda–Emba district, Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia

A retrospective study was conducted from November, 2016 to April, 2017 in Saesie Tsaeda-Emba District, Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia with objectives of prevalence of dystocia occurrence and its associated risk factors in Saesie Tsaeda-Emba District. In the present study, 60 dairy cows were examined for determining of dystocia. Out of the 60 dairy cows examined, 38(63.3%) dairy cows were found to have dystocia. Out of the 38 dairy cows found problems with dystocia, 4(10.5%) were local, 23(60.5%) were cross and 11(28.9%) were exotic breed of cows. This result showed dystocia was higher in cross breed of cows when compared with local and exotic breed of dairy cows. 8(21%) of the dairy cows with dystocia were in natural mated, 28(73.7%) were in artificial inseminated and the rest 2(5.3%) were in both natural mated and artificial inseminated. This result indicated dystocia was higher in dairy cows with artificial inseminated 28(73.7%) when compared to natural mated 8(21%). 30(78.9%) of the dairy cows with dystocia were in first calving and 8(21%) were in second calving. This result revealed dystocia was higher in dairy cows with first calving. 20(52.6%) of the dairy cows found to have dystocia were delivered male claves whereas 18(47.4%) were female calves. This result showed dystocia with male calves were higher when compared dystocia with female claves. 9(15%) of the dystocia were caused by fetal, 16(26.7%) of the dystocia were caused by maternal, 13(21.7%) were caused by others and 22(36.7%) were unknown their causes. This result revealed dystocia was more caused by maternal problems when compared to fetal and other problems. Awareness creation to farm owners, attendants and improved management such as, proper feeding, accurate heat detection, considering the size of sir and dam while using artificial insemination, and health management should be improved to minimize the occurrence of dystocia and associated economic losses in the dairy farms of the area.