Incidence of production diseases and other health problems in a group of dairy herds in England

Esslemont, R. J.; Kossaibati, M. A.

doi:10.1136/vr.139.20.486

Cited by 93 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Calf mortality is often poorly documented and may be underestimated because a dead calf is not always recorded at farm level. Within the UK, Esslemont and Kossaibati (1996) estimated the perinatal loss rate across 90 English herds as 7.8%. More recently, we have conducted a study across 19 commercial farms milking Holstein-Friesian cows in southern England (Brickell et al, 2007a).…”

Section: Perinatalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing heifer survival and fertility on commercial dairy farms

Wathes

Brickell

Bourne

et al. 2008

Animal

142

114

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The average dairy cow survives only three lactations, reducing the availability of replacement heifers. Prenatal losses occur due to early embryonic mortality (about 40%), later embryo loss (up to 20% in high-yielding herds) or abortion (about 5%). A recent survey of 19 UK herds showed that 7.9% of calves were born dead and 3.4% died within 1 month. During the rearing phase, 6.7% of animals were lost before reaching first service at 15 months due to disease or accident and another 2.3% failed to conceive. Many potential replacements therefore never enter the milking herd. This severely limits opportunities for on-farm selection of breeding cows in addition to presenting a welfare issue and causing economic loss. The most profitable animals once lactation is reached combine good milk production with a regular calving pattern. Some aspects of performance are related to age at first calving (AFC), which in turn is influenced by heifer growth rates. Poorly growing animals required more services to conceive, calved later and subsequently performed badly. Optimum fertility and maximum yield in the first lactation were associated with an AFC of 24 to 25 months. However, heifers calving at 22 to 23 months performed best in terms of total milk yield and survival over the first 5 years, partly because good heifer fertility was associated with better fertility later. We have investigated some possible juvenile predictors of future performance. Low-birth-weight calves were more likely to come from either primiparous mothers or older dams (31 lactations) with higher peak milk yields, suggesting that the uterine environment may limit prenatal calf growth due to competition for nutrients with maternal growth or milk production. Linear trait classification scores for frame size show genetic correlations with longevity. The skeletal measures of height and crown rump length in 1-month-old calves was correlated to subsequent stature, and frame size was correlated to weight at 15 months. It may thus be possible to predict performance from simple size measurements as juveniles. Neither endogenous nor stimulated growth hormone (GH) release in 6-month-old calves were related to milk yield in the first three lactations, but size of a stimulated GH peak was positively related to milk energy values in the first lactation. Cows with delayed ovulation (.45 days) in the first lactation had a higher GH pulse amplitude and lower IGF-I as a juvenile. Cows that partition excess energy into milk in their first lactation may suffer reduced longevity.

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Section: Perinatalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing heifer survival and fertility on commercial dairy farms

Wathes

Brickell

Bourne

et al. 2008

Animal

142

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Lameness prevalence was 12-87 % with the mean value of 27 ± 17 %. Esslemont & Kossaibati (1996) reported 24 % lameness in a survey of 90 herds in 1992-1993, while in another survey (Kossaibati & Esslemont, 1999), performed on 50 farms during 1995-1996, lameness reached 38%. Herd lameness has been estimated at 22 % by recent studies in the UK (Whay, 2003) and Wisconsin, USA (Cook, 2003) and Clarkson et al (1996).…”

Section: Lamenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dairy Cattle Welfare Status Measured by Animal-Linked Parameters Under Tunisian Rearing Conditions

M’Hamdi¹,

Frouja²,

Bouallegue³

et al. 2012

Milk Production - An Up-to-Date Overview of Animal Nutrition, Management and Health

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“…Perinatal calf losses greatly vary from herd to herd and depend on general herd management practices [12,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sternal recumbency or suspension by the hind legs immediately after delivery improves respiratory and metabolic adaptation to extra uterine life in newborn calves delivered by caesarean section

et al. 2002

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-The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of body positioning immediately after delivery on respiratory and metabolic adaptation to extra-uterine life in newborn calves. One hundred and one Belgian White and Blue calves were delivered at term by an elective caesarean section and were assigned into three categories according to the body position imposed immediately after umbilical cord rupture: 71 calves were placed in lateral recumbency; 16 calves were placed in sternal recumbency and 14 calves were suspended by the hind legs for less than 90 seconds (75 ± 5 s). Following this initial body position, the calves were allowed to move without restraint. They were examined at birth, 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes, and 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours after birth by the following measurements: physical examination, heart rate, arterial blood gas analysis, pulmonary function tests using the esophageal balloon catheter technique, arterial and venous blood acid-base balance analysis, rectal temperature, jugular venous blood sampling for the determination of blood glucose, plasma lactate and serum cortisol concentrations, haematologic variables and passive immune transfer variables. Body positioning immediately after delivery clearly influenced respiratory and metabolic adaptation to extra-uterine life in term calves delivered by an elective caesarean section. Systematic sternal recumbency and suspension by the hind legs for less than 90 seconds immediately after umbilical cord rupture had a positive functional impact on postnatal pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange and on postnatal correction of mixed acidosis present at birth, contributing in turn to an enhanced passive immune transfer. These two body positions should be encouraged to improve adaptation at birth in healthy term calves delivered by an elective caesarean section. Evaluation of possible side-effects is required before application in severely asphyxiated calves. Résumé -Confiner le veau en décubitus sternal ou le suspendre par les membres postérieurs à la naissance améliore son adaptation respiratoire et métabolique à la vie extra-utérine. L'objectif de cette étude était d'évaluer l'effet du décubitus sternal ou de la suspension systématique par les membres postérieurs immédiatement à la naissance sur l'adaptation respiratoire et métabolique chez le veau nouveau-né sain. Cent et un veaux de race Blanc-Bleu Belge à terme nés par césarienne ont été répartis en trois catégories selon la position dans laquelle ils ont été délibérément placés immédiate-ment après la rupture du cordon ombilical. La première catégorie comprend les veaux placés en décu-bitus latéral (n = 71) ; la seconde, ceux placés en décubitus sternal (n = 16) ; et la troisième, les veaux suspendus par les membres postérieurs pendant moins d'une minute trente secondes (75 ± 5 s) (n = 14). Les veaux ont été examinés à la naissance, à l'âge de 5, 15, 30, 45 et 60 minutes, 2, 3, 6, 12 et 24 heures après la naissance au moyen des tests suivants: un examen clinique, une analyse des gaz sangu...

show abstract

Incidence of production diseases and other health problems in a group of dairy herds in England

Cited by 93 publications

References 25 publications

Factors influencing heifer survival and fertility on commercial dairy farms

Factors influencing heifer survival and fertility on commercial dairy farms

Dairy Cattle Welfare Status Measured by Animal-Linked Parameters Under Tunisian Rearing Conditions

Sternal recumbency or suspension by the hind legs immediately after delivery improves respiratory and metabolic adaptation to extra uterine life in newborn calves delivered by caesarean section

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