Trends in Calf Mortality: A Bibliometric Overview

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 4, 476 - 486, 15.07.2025

Ayşe Övgü Şen , Rabia Albayrak Delialioğlu , Yasin Altay , Akdoğan Kaan Can Tekbilek

https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1686874

Öz

The main goal of cattle breeding is to maximize profitability through improved production and reproductive performance. In dairy farming, the target is to calve once a year, with the expectation that these calves survive. Calf mortality is not just a problem; it is a major threat to the sustainability of operations and the welfare of animals. It is a key indicator of the overall condition of cattle farms, reflecting their economic, health, and welfare status. Calf mortality refers to the losses occurring from birth up to six months of age, directly affecting the profitability and well-being of the herd. While it is recommended that calf losses do not exceed 5%, reported perinatal mortality rates in cows and calves range from 2% to 20%, with most countries recording rates between 5% and 8%. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis based on data retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database to evaluate the scientific literature on calf mortality. The analysis was based on data retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database, where a search was performed on titles, keywords, and abstracts. A total of 2359 publications from the period 1945–2025 were identified and analyzed using the bibliometrix package in R software, focusing on citation networks and bibliographic linkages. The findings indicate a growing academic interest in calf mortality recently. Regarding publication types, research articles constituted the majority (2108), followed by conference papers (27), reviews (124), editorial notes (11), book chapters (6) and others (83). While the number of countries conducting scientific research on calf mortality is quite high, the USA (1358), Canada (583), and UK (315) are leading nations in terms of both domestic studies and collaborations with other countries. These results highlight the increasing academic interest in calf mortality and the expanding range of research contributions in this area and may provide practical information for cattle breeders in the field.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Cattle , Calf losses , Calf mortality , Bibliometrics

Kaynakça

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