Factors associated with twin births in cows from specialized dairy farms in Costa Rica
Keywords:
Reproduction, tropics, cattle, epidemiologyAbstract
The aim of this study was to determine the individual and environmental factors associated to twin birth (TB) in cows from specialized dairy farms in Costa Rica. A descriptive and case-control study was conducted of lactations recorded in the VAMPP Bovino information system between 1994 and 2009. Factors associated to TB were assessed in three steps: 1) descriptive statistics (frequencies and means with 95% confidence intervals), 2) comparisons of means (Student’s T-Test) and percentages (Chi-Square Test), and 3) odds ratio calculation using a logistic regression with random effects. The global TB percentage was 1.02%, without increasing or decreasing tendencies during the analyzed period. Holstein cows had the highest percentage, showing twice the risk of TB compared to other breeds. Cows with high 305-day milk yield showed 1.6 times the risk of TB (CI95%: 1.3–1.9) when compared to low production cows; similarly, cows with more than 6 lactations showed the highest risk of TB (OR= 5.0; CI95%: 3.7–6.7). In addition, it was determined that cows with placental retention had 5.3 times the probability of TB in the next parity (CI95%: 4.2–6.8), while cows with ovarian cysts showed a higher risk of TB (OR= 2.3, CI95%: 18–2.9). The TB frequency in Costa Rican dairy farms is similar to the one reported worldwide in specialized dairy farms, and risk factors found correspond to the ones reported in the literature. Knowing these risk factors contributes to reducing TB frequency in dairy herds and the negative impact attributable there to in several studies.
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