Disease occurrence in dairy herds: results from a 20-year study in three experimental farms

By Coulon, J. B. and Faye, B. and Landais, E. and Lescourret, F., Productions Animales, 1994
Research Paper Web Link / URL:
Description
Health data collected for 20 years at 3 INRA dairy cow experimental stations in a partially-mountainous area of France were entered in the database LASCAR. The breakdown of disease occurrence was broadly similar to that found on private dairy farms. Clinical mastitis (31.7% of lactational incidence rate), lameness (25.6%), digestive disorders (12.3%) and placental retention (9.6%) predominated. Wide variations occurred according to location and genetic type: lameness most often affected the French Friesian (FFPN) of Marcenat (41.9%) while mastitis most often affected the Holstein X FFPN crossbreeds at Theix (53.0%). Health problems tended to increase with lactation rank, with the notable exception of calving problems. Onset of lactation was the most sensitive time, though no particular season could be said to present special risk. The latter could differ according to the health disorders. However, certain disorders occurred more often in Oct. at the start of calving
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