Revenues and costs of dairy cows with different voluntary waiting periods based on data of a randomized control trial

Abstract

Based on modeling studies, a 1-yr calving interval for dairy cows is generally considered optimal from an economic point of view. Recently some dairy farmers are deliberately extending the voluntary waiting period for insemination (VWP) to extend the calving interval. Reasons to extend the VWP are to reduce the frequency of transitions such as dry-off and calving to improve health, to reduce labor associated with these transitions, and to reduce the number of surplus calves. This study aimed to evaluate yearly revenues, yearly costs, and yearly net partial cash flow (NPCF) for individual cows with a VWP of 50, 125, or 200 d based on data from a randomized control trial. The NPCF included revenues and costs for milk yield, calves born, inseminations, concentrate supply, partial mixed ration (PMR) supply, veterinary treatments, discarded milk due to veterinary treatments, culling, and labor (for milking, calving cows, inseminations, and veterinary treatments). Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (n = 153) within one herd were blocked for parity, calving season, and expected (primiparous cows) or previous (multiparous cows) 305-d milk yield. Cows were randomly assigned within the blocks to 1 of 3 VWP (VWP50, VWP125, or VWP200) in wk 6 after calving, and monitored from wk 6 after calving until wk 6 after the next calving or until culling. Revenues and costs were calculated per individual cow and expressed per cow per year. Revenues from milk and costs for PMR and concentrate contributed most to the yearly NPCF. Total yearly revenues were greater in VWP50 compared with VWP200 (€3,169 vs. €2,832), mainly because of €334 greater milk revenues. Total yearly costs were also greater in VWP50 compared with VWP200 (€1,964 vs. €1,729), mainly because of €102 greater concentrate costs. The VWP was not significantly associated with the NPCF per cow per year. A change in milk, feed, or calf price, or a change in labor costs for calving cows or for inseminations had a greater effect on the yearly NPCF of cows in VWP50 compared with cows in VWP200. To investigate variation in NPCF, cows were grouped for yearly NPCF and categorized into 3 economic classes (EC): EC1 (<€1,100/yr), EC2 (€1,100-€1,400/yr), and EC3 (>€1,400/yr). Cows in EC3 had greatest lactation production per day in the experiment (i.e., kg of milk, protein, fat, lactose), and lowest number of veterinary treatments during the experiment.

Lactatie op maat : verlengen van de lactatie van melkvee: effecten op melkproductie, gezondheid en vruchtbaarheid van de koe en het economisch resultaat

“…De materiaal en methode staat beschreven in bijbehorend wetenschappelijk artikel (Burgers et al, 2022).…”

Extending lactation length: consequences for cow, calf, and farmer

“…In modeling studies, a reduction in disease events was assumed, but not measured ( Van Amburgh et al, 1997 ). In our recent experimental study, disease treatments were measured and used as input for calculating the economic consequences of an extended VWP ( Burgers et al, 2022 ). In that study, the period from 6 wk after calving until 6 wk after the next calving was analyzed, to include the transition around calving after an extended lactation.…”

“…In that study, the period from 6 wk after calving until 6 wk after the next calving was analyzed, to include the transition around calving after an extended lactation. In that period, there was no effect of VWP on disease treatments ( Burgers et al, 2022 ). Numerically, cows with a VWP of 125 or 200 d had more disease treatments than cows with a VWP of 50 d ( Table 1A ).…”

“…Some studies investigated the effect of a deliberately extended VWP on the economic result ( van Amburgh et al, 1997 ; Arbel et al, 2001 ; Stangaferro et al, 2018a ; Burgers et al, 2022 ). In one study, where only high-producing cows were included, yearly net return increased with 69$ for primiparous cows when their VWP was extended from 90 to 150 d, and increased with 44$ for multiparous cows when their VWP was extended from 60 to 120 d ( Arbel et al, 2001 ).…”

“…In addition, in Stangaferro et al (2018a) , the extension of the VWP was limited (from 60 to 88 d) and might not be directly comparable with studies that investigated longer extensions of the VWP. Recently, the economic result of cows with a VWP of 50, 125, or 200 d was investigated ( Burgers et al, 2022 ). In that study, cows with a VWP of 50 d had greater yearly revenues, but also greater yearly costs, compared with cows with a VWP of 200 d. Moreover, the revenues or costs of cows with a VWP of 125 d were not different from the other 2 groups, indicating that a VWP of 125 d did not affect the economic result.…”