The costs of production diseases in dairy herds in England

By Esslemont, R. J. and Kossaibati, M. A., Veterinary Journal, 1997
Research Paper Web Link / URL:
Description
Economic losses due to common health problems in dairy cattle were investigated in 90 Friesian/Holstein herds (average size 152 cows), which calved in England during the 1992/1993 season with an average annual yield of about 6000 1 per cow. By using only the direct costs of common production diseases and other health problems (mastitis, lameness, vulval discharge, treatments for oestrus-not-observed, retained foetal membranes, milk fever, twinning, calf mortality and aid at calving), the cost of ill health in a 100 cow herd with average rates of these problems (compared with target levels) was estimated at pound 6300 per year. The costs ranged from pound 1200 (average of the top 10%) to pound 13 600 (average of the worst 10% of the herds). The main losses were due to mastitis and lameness (38 and 27% of health cost, respectively).
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