Pre-Calving and Calving Management Practices in Dairy Herds with a History of High or Low Bovine Perinatal Mortality

Mee, John F.; Grant, Jim; Sanchez-Míguel, Cosme; Doherty, Michael L.

doi:10.3390/ani3030866

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In 2014, a total of 36 Irish dairy farmers located in a region where SBV circulated extensively during the Irish Schmallenberg epidemic [ 7 ] were invited to participate in an epidemiological study on SBV surveillance. These herds were selected from a sampling frame of 111 farmers for a separate calf mortality study [ 21 ]. These herds were screened for spring-calving (January–May), more than 50 calvings/year, calf mortality rate, farmers with a history of good record keeping and farm located within a 1.30 h driving time radius of Moorepark.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-epidemic Schmallenberg virus circulation: parallel bovine serological and Culicoides virological surveillance studies in Ireland

Collins

Barrett²,

Doherty

et al. 2016

BMC Vet Res

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BackgroundSchmallenberg virus (SBV) emerged in northern-Europe in 2011 resulting in an epidemic of ruminant abortions and congenital malformations throughout the continent. In the years following the epidemic there have been reports of SBV overwintering and continued circulation in several European countries. When the population-level of immunity declines in exposed regions, re-introduction of SBV could result in further outbreaks of Schmallenberg disease. The aims of this study were to determine the SBV seroprevalence in previously exposed Irish dairy herds in 2014 and to investigate if SBV continued to circulate in these herds in the three years (2013–2015) following the Irish Schmallenberg epidemic.Whole-herd SBV serosurveillance was conducted in 26 herds before (spring) and following the 2014 vector-season (winter), and following the 2015 vector-season (winter). In spring 2014, 5,531 blood samples were collected from 4,070 cows and 1,461 heifers. In winter 2014, 2,483 blood samples were collected from 1,550 youngstock (8–10 months old) and a subsample (n = 933; 288 cows, 645 heifers) of the seronegative animals identified in the spring. Youngstock were resampled in winter 2015. Culicoides spp. were collected in 10 herds during the 2014 vector-season and analysed for SBV; a total of 138 pools (3,048 Culicoides) from 6 SBV vector species were tested for SBV RNA using real-time PCR.ResultsIn spring 2014, animal-level seroprevalence was 62.5 % (cows = 84.7 %; heifers = 0.6 %). Within-herd seroprevalence ranged widely from 8.5 %–84.1 % in the 26 herds. In winter 2014, 22 animals (0.9 %; 10 cows, 5 heifers, 7 youngstock) originating in 17 herds (range 1–4 animals/herd) tested seropositive. In winter 2015 all youngstock, including the 7 seropositive animals in winter 2014, tested seronegative suggesting their initial positive result was due to persistence of maternal antibodies. All of the Culicoides pools examined tested negative for SBV-RNA.ConclusionsSBV appears to have recirculated at a very low level in these herds during 2013 and 2014, while there was no evidence of SBV infection in naïve youngstock during 2015. A large population of naïve animals was identified and may be at risk of infection in future years should SBV re-emerge and recirculate as it has done in continental Europe.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-epidemic Schmallenberg virus circulation: parallel bovine serological and Culicoides virological surveillance studies in Ireland

Collins

Barrett²,

Doherty

et al. 2016

BMC Vet Res

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“…Despite the best efforts of farmers and their veterinarians to manage calving and newborn calves successfully, perinatal mortality can be a perennial problem on some farms, yet only occur sporadically on others. Currently there is little research on the causes of this wide inter-herd variation in stillbirth rates and why certain herds have persistent problems and others do not [ 25 ]; well-designed transdisciplinary studies are warranted.…”

Section: Why Do So Many Calves Die?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Why Do So Many Calves Die on Modern Dairy Farms and What Can We Do about Calf Welfare in the Future?

Mee

2013

Animals

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Simple SummaryHigh calf loss rates are an international welfare problem though this is often not recognised. These loss rates have increased in recent years. Improvement in calf survival rates is dependent upon re-prioritization of this problem relative to other animal health and welfare issues and creation of awareness of this prioritization. Once the problem is recognised action needs to be taken at national and at farm levels, specifically on problem farms. Data recording, research, breeding, veterinary, extension and farmer organisations all have a role to play in improving bovine neonatal survival and hence improving animal welfare in the future.AbstractPoor bovine neonatal survival rates are an international animal welfare issue. The key modifiable risk factors associated with such loss are age at first calving in primiparae, calf breed, gender and gestation length and calving management. The primary causes of mortality in the perinatal period are calving problems, in particular dystocia, defined as both difficult and abnormal calvings. Calf loss rates are rising on modern dairy farms in many countries internationally. High calf loss rates are often not recognised at national or at farm-level; recording needs to be improved. Improving bovine neonatal survival requires re-prioritization of this issue. Stakeholders need to be made cognisant of this prioritization. Actions to effect change need to occur at both national and farm-levels. National-level actions need firstly to address raising awareness of the issue. Farm-level actions need to focus on identifiable problem farms through targeted surveillance. Application of existing knowledge to alter modifiable risk factors is the key to improving calf welfare in the future. Research also has a role to play in filling knowledge gaps in particular about the ‘unexplained stillbirth’.

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“…Heuwiser et al (1987) reported that cows that were moved into a maternity pen 3 d before calving had lower blood concentrations of cortisol at calving compared with cows moved close to calving, suggesting a lower stress level in cows that had time to adapt to the new environment of the maternity pen. Additionally, Mee et al (2013) in a casecontrol study, using 30 dairy Irish herds, found that the herds with cows being transferred to the calving unit within 12 h before calving had a higher risk of perinatal mortality than herds moving cows 12 to 24 h, or more than 2 days before calving.…”

Section: Time Of Moving a Cow To The Calving Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Dairy cow behaviour around calving: Its relationship with management practices and environmental conditions

Matamala

Strappini

Sepúlveda-Varas

2021

Austral j. vet. sci.

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Calving is one of the most challenging and painful experiences for dairy cattle and a process that involves coping with physical and physiological changes, as well as environmental and managementrelated stressors. In recent years, it has been argued that the application of cow behaviour knowledge might facilitate their efficacious management during calving. This review aims to summarise and discuss current knowledge regarding the behavioural changes that occur around calving time. The relationship between calving behaviour, management practices, and environmental conditions in dairy cattle raised in intensive indoor production systems, as well as pasturebased systems, is also discussed. First, we briefly outline the process of parturition and the concept of maternal behaviour. We then describe behavioural changes that occur around parturition in normal and dystocic births and how variations in these behaviours can be used to predict normal or assisted calving in dairy cattle; particular emphasis is placed on the role of feeding, rumination, and lying behaviour. Finally, we review how management practices and environmental conditions can influence cow's behaviour at calving and discuss the importance of providing an environment that accommodates the behaviour they are motivated to perform. This review presents evidence that the time a cow is moved to the calving area, the type of group housing and the provision of a secluded area to calve, can impact the behavioral responses of dairy cows at calving. Evidence regarding the effects of exposure to environmental conditions such as heat during summer, and/or cold, wet and mud during winter can also have a negative impact on behaviour, suggesting potential benefits of providing cows with a protected area to calve. We conclude that a better understanding of the behaviour of parturient cows may help producers improve the care and management around calving time.

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Pre-Calving and Calving Management Practices in Dairy Herds with a History of High or Low Bovine Perinatal Mortality

Cited by 13 publications

References 33 publications

Post-epidemic Schmallenberg virus circulation: parallel bovine serological and Culicoides virological surveillance studies in Ireland

Post-epidemic Schmallenberg virus circulation: parallel bovine serological and Culicoides virological surveillance studies in Ireland

Why Do So Many Calves Die on Modern Dairy Farms and What Can We Do about Calf Welfare in the Future?

Dairy cow behaviour around calving: Its relationship with management practices and environmental conditions

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