Practical Application of Epidemiology in Veterinary Herd Health/production Medicine

Abstract

Practical application of formal epidemiology can be a very useful tool in private practice for food animal veterinarians working in the field of herd health/production medicine. Careful and deliberate determination of the outcome variables of interest in each production situation or application provides a logical starting point for establishing the information requirements necessary to measure the defined outcome variables. Subsequently, the collected data can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including disease investigation, monitoring, forecasting and commercial field trials. The successful application of formal epidemiology in herd health/production medicine can serve as a solid basis for establishing long-term productive business relationships with animal agriculture enterprises.

Utilising a livestock model for wildlife health planning

“…These defined goals are essential for structuring the plan. Booker et al ( 17 ) highlight the need for such goals as a starting point for health plans if a structured epidemiological approach is to be taken.…”

Evaluation of predictive models to determine total morbidity outcome of feedlot cattle based on cohort-level feed delivery data during the first 15 days on feed

“…Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is one of the costliest diseases in the feedlot industry ( Salman et al, 1991 ). Early identification and prompt treatment of the disease can reduce the costs associated with BRD ( Booker et al, 2004 ). Additionally, gastrointestinal diseases, lameness, and other adverse health events negatively impact animal performance, but the prevalence of these other diseases is relatively low.…”