A longitudinal observational study on calf morbidity and mortality in dairy farms in Sodo town and its suburbs was conducted from January 2013 to January 2014 with the aim of investigating dairy calf morbidity and mortality rate, determining potential risk factors associated with calf morbidity and mortality, and isolating some enteropathogens associated with diarrhea. All 30 dairy calves, which were born during the period from January 2013 to June 2013 at eight dairy farms, were enrolled for the study. Patterns of the calves’ morbidity and mortality were followed up from birth to the end of their sixth months of age at individual level. In addition, a questionnaire survey on calf rearing practices was performed on the farms, where the experimental animals resided. The results of this study demonstrated 66.7 % (n = 20) calf morbidity and 20 % (n = 6) mortality. Diarrhea accounted for 63.3 % (n = 19) of the morbidity, while pneumonia accounted for 3.3 % (n = 1). The main cause of death was also diarrhea resulting in three out of six deaths. Based on the laboratory examination, Eschericia coli only was excreted by 26.3 % (n = 5) of the diarrheic calves, Salmonella only by 10.5 % (n = 2), and Cryptosporidium by 52.6 % (n = 10); E. coli + Salmonella were concurrently excreted by 10.5 % (n = 2) of the diarrheic calves. Overall, 76.9 % (n = 20) of the 26 examined animals were found to be infected by different gastrointestinal and ectoparasites. The association of 21 potential risk factors with dairy calf morbidity and mortality was investigated. Of these factors, among others poor body condition of the dam, short teat distant from the ground, feeding calves less than four liters of milk/day, were significantly associated with dairy calf morbidity (p < 0.05), whereas less than five year farm work experience of herd attendants, and a stock of less than ten animals in a farm were significantly associated with dairy calf mortality (p < 0.05). On the other hand, manure removal once at day was significantly associated with both calf morbidity and mortality (p < 0.05). In conclusion, calf morbidity and mortality was found to be relatively high in the examined area, and can have short-term and long-term detrimental effects on dairy production by suppressing growth rate of the calves and replacement capacity of the herd.
