Causes of Mortality and Diseases in Farmed Deer in Switzerland

Table 1

Causes of death in farmed deer from Switzerland (2003-2004) in the different age classes.

Cause of death	Abortion	Neonate	Fawn	Juvenile	Subadult	Adult	Total	%
Traum${\text{a}}^{(\text{a})}$		3		1		7	11	7
Metabolic dysfunctio${\text{n}}^{(\text{b})}$					1	8	9	6
Circulatory collaps${\text{e}}^{(\text{c})}$/Vascular					1	5	6	4
Hypoxic shock		6					6	4
Malformation	2	2	1				5	3
Dehydratatio${\text{n}}^{(\text{d})}$		1					1	1
Neoplasi${\text{a}}^{(\text{e})}$						2	2	1
Miscellaneou${\text{s}}^{(\text{f})}$		1				1	2	1
Total non-infectious	2	13	1	1	2	23	42	26
Bacterial		19	38	2	2	10	71	44
Necrobacillosi${\text{s}}^{(\text{g})}$			24	2		2	28
Yersiniosis			1				1
E. coli septicaemia		8	1				10
Other septicaemi${\text{a}}^{(\text{h})}$		8	9		2	3	21
Miscellaneou${\text{s}}^{(\text{i})}$		3	3			5	11
Parasitic				24	5	2	31	19
Mycotic						1	1	1
Viral				1			1	1
Total infectious	0	19	38	27	7	13	104	64
Unclear	1	6	2	0	1	0	10	6
Indeterminable	1	0	0	0	0	5	6	4
Total	4	38	41	28	10	41	162	100

${}_{}{}^{(\text{a})}\text{M}$ainly due to injuries from stags, misadventure, or handling.
${}_{}{}^{(\text{b})}\text{R}$uminal acidosis (8) and massive haemosiderosis due to an undefined problem in the iron household. (1)
${}_{}{}^{(\text{c})}\text{C}$auses: stroke of lightning (3); atherosclerosis, endocard, and myocard fibrosis (2); exhaustion (1).
${}_{}{}^{(\text{d})}\text{C}$ause: diarrhoea of unknown aetiology.
${}_{}{}^{(\text{e})}\text{O}$ne case each of bile duct carcinoma and salivary gland adenocarcinoma.
${}_{}{}^{(\text{f})}\text{O}$ne case each of inanition and chronic indigestion due to a foreign body in the rumen.
${}_{}{}^{(\text{g})}\text{N}$ecrobacillosis was diagnosed in cases of anaerobic mixed flora cultured in correspondence with typical pathological findings.
${}_{}{}^{(\text{h})}S$ treptococcus sp. (6), Pasteurella sp. (2), Aeromonas sp. (2), Enterobacter sp. (2), and mixed flora (4), histological diagnosis without successful bacterial isolation (6).
${}_{}{}^{(\text{i})}\text{M}$ultifocal purulent inflammation (1), purulent pneumonia (2), enteritis (2), colitis (3), metritis (2), alveolar periostitis (1).