A method to establish the economic optimum (minimum) cost of fertility in the dairy herd is described and demonstrated. A Markov chain model is used iteratively to establish the gross margin of the herd in the long term at various levels of oestrous detection rate and under two different rebreeding strategies. These gross margins are required by the optimization methodology. Under the initial assumptions reflecting current commercial practice in the United Kingdom, gross margin was £806 per cow. This figure varied by proportionately 0·15 over the range of oestrous detection rates assumed (0·4 to 0·7) while delaying rebreeding by 20 days caused gross margin to drop by approximately 0·04. It was concluded that it is important to optimize fertility control as well as rebreeding strategy in order to establish the economic impact of fertility in the dairy herd.The economic value of fertility was also expressed per unit of calving interval and adjusted calving interval (ACI). ACI was calculated by dividing calving interval by the proportion of cows not culled for reproductive failure. Under the assumptions made, the marginal value of calving interval at the optimum oestrous detection rate was £6·22 per day, rising to £7·44 per day if rebreeding was delayed. The corresponding figures for ACI were £1·57 per day and £1·24 per day. The range in marginal values at sub-optimal oestrous detection rates were £4·38 for calving interval and £0·61 for ACI. It was concluded that the lower variation in ACI at different levels of fertility may make it a more representative trait for inclusion in a selection index provided the necessary genetic parameters can be reliably estimated.
A postal survey of 566 veterinary practices with dairy farms among their clients showed that the majority of the practices were very positive about the benefits of running a herd health scheme. Nevertheless, only a third of them were running a scheme, and most had attracted only a small number of clients. The size of the practice (in terms of the number of veterinarians and the number of dairy farming clients) was the most significant factor determining whether a practice was likely to run a herd health scheme, and the age of the veterinarians did not appear to have any affect.
Herd health schemes have had a slow uptake by both the dairy farmer and the veterinary surgeon. A few attempts have been made over the last twenty years to increase veterinary and farmer awareness of this approach to preventative medicine, but unfortunately these have had little long term impact. Most of the academic research into the use of herd health schemes has concentrated on the development of computerized recording schemes rather than the logistics of setting up and operating such schemes. This paper reviews findings of the problems of adoption and diffusion herd health schemes have had in the dairy farming community in the United Kingdom. The aim of the research was to identify the principal problems associated with such schemes, and to develop a strategy for implementing and running a scheme. The process was carried out in two stages, firstly by looking at the veterinary profession's approach and attitudes towards herd health schemes, and secondly, comparing these with the dairy farmers own approach and attitudes. This paper puts forward eleven main points the veterinarian should address when setting up and operating a herd health scheme.
During the last 5 years, an on-going research project has been monitoring the uptake of dairy herd health schemes by both farmers and veterinarians. This work concentrated on all the elements that will affect the success of the herd health scheme, rather than just looking at the recording part of the scheme. The element that appeared to be causing the veterinarians the most trouble was the problem of farmer motivation, particularly in the form of they dont think they have sufficient problems to justify the joining of a herd health scheme. With this problem in mind, a pilot method was developed for the veterinarian to quickly appraise a client farmers herd by using easily accessible information from a sample of 20 randomly selected cows in the herd. Ten indices were used in the first part of the analysis, examining physical aspects of health and fertility performance of the herd. Six were then taken to give an assessment of the financial losses occurring on the farm and help identify in which areas there is most room for improvement. The technique was tested on a sample of 52 veterinarians attending a conference who were asked to analyse several problem farms. The participants then completed a feedback questionnaire on the usefulness of such an approach to farm analysis, and most importantly, its usefulness in the adoption of the herd health scheme by the farmer. Ninety one percent of the respondents identified the method as a useful aid to the introduction of a computerised herd health scheme.
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