Dairy herd health

327 Pages·2.428 MB·English

by  Martin Green

Dairy Herd Health
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Dairy Herd Health
Edited by
Martin Green
University of Nottingham, UK
Co-edited by
Andrew Bradley, James Breen, Helen Higgins,
Chris Hudson, Jon Huxley
University of Nottingham, UK
Jonathan Statham
Bishopton Veterinary Group, North Yorkshire, UK
Laura Green
University of Warwick, UK
and
Alastair Hayton
Synergy Farm Health, Dorset, UK
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dairy herd health / edited by Martin Green, University of Nottingham,
UK; co-edited by Andrew Bradley, James Breen, Helen Higgins, Chris
Hudson, Jon Huxley, University of Nottingham, UK, Jonathan Statham,
Bishopton Veterinary Group, North Yorkshire, UK, Laura Green, University
of Warwick, UK, Alistair Hayton, Synergy Farm Health, Dorset, UK.
pages ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-84593-997-7 (hb : alk. paper) 1. Dairy cattle--Health. I.
Green, Martin (Martin J.)
SF208.D37 2012
636.2′142--dc23
2012036472
ISBN-13: 978 1 84593 997 7
Commissioning editor: Sarah Hulbert
Editorial assistant: Chris Shire
Production editor: Simon Hill
Typeset by SPi, Pondicherry, India
Printed and bound in the UK by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY.
Contents
Preface xiii
1 Concepts in Dairy Herd Health 1
Martin Green, Laura Green, Jon Huxley, Jonathan Statham and Sian Statham
Context of Dairy Herd Health: Why Improve the Health of Farmed Livestock? 1
What is Herd Health? 2
Practical Implementation of Herd Health: Getting Started
and Structuring the Health Visits 3
Appreciating client aspirations 3
Establishing farm-specific goals 4
Measuring performance and setting targets:
the importance of data recording and analysis 5
Structure of the herd health visit 5
Charging for herd health 6
Other Factors to Consider for Successful Implementation
of a Herd Health Programme 6
Training of farm staff 6
The cow’s environment 7
Relevance of genetics in herd health 8
Conclusion 9
References and Further Reading 9
2 Facilitating Change in Herd Health 11
Helen Higgins, Martin Green and Aurélien Madouasse
Introduction 11
Encouraging farmers to take action: context and challenges 11
To Change Human Behaviour, We Need First to Understand It 12
Selfish human behaviour research applied to herd health 13
How to Assist Farmers in Implementing Changes on the Farm 15
First identify which stage the farmer has reached 16
Stage I: moving from no intentions … to wanting to change 17
Stage II: the giant leap from wanting … to doing 25
Stage III: keeping up the good work 28
v
vi Contents
A final reflection 29
Facilitating Change: Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine 29
What is evidence-based medicine? 30
Conclusion: Facilitating Changes in Dairy Herd Health 32
References and Further Reading 32
3 Restoring the Dairy Herd: Rearing Youngstock and Replacing Cows 35
James Breen, Peter Down, Mike Kerby and Andrew Bradley
Introduction 35
Dynamics of the dairy herd structure: culling and replacements 35
Mortality and disease in youngstock 36
Culling of adult cows 38
Financial costs associated with culling of cows 40
Welfare considerations of youngstock rearing 40
Monitoring Youngstock Health 42
Monitoring the neonatal period (including calving) 42
Monitoring the pre-weaning period 42
Monitoring the post-weaning period 44
Monitoring first calving and lactation 46
Monitoring culling in the adult herd 47
Targets for Youngstock Rearing and Dairy Cow Culling 48
Targets for the neonatal period (including calving) 48
Targets for the pre-weaning period 49
Targets for the post-weaning period 49
Targets for first calving 49
Targets for monitoring culled cows 49
Disease Control in the Rearing Period 50
Disease control in the neonatal period (including calving) 52
Disease control in the pre-weaning period 56
Disease control and fertility management in the post-weaning period 60
Summary 66
References and Further Reading 67
4 Managing Herd Reproduction 73
Chris Hudson, Mike Kerby, Jonathan Statham and Wendela Wapenaar
Introduction 73
The economics of fertility 73
Current levels of reproductive performance 74
Welfare and ethics of reproductive herd health 76
Public health and reproduction 77
Underlying Principles of Dairy Cow Reproduction 78
Reproductive physiology and hormonal control of the oestrous cycle 78
Monitoring Reproduction in Herd Health 78
The practicalities of data recording 78
Monitoring reproductive data on the farm 80
Routine performance monitoring 82
Summary of key targets 90
Control of Herd Fertility: Enhancing Reproductive Performance 92
Improving accuracy and rate of oestrus detection 93
Improving pregnancy rates 100
Controlling reproductive disease 106
Conclusion 110
Cont ents vviiii
References and Further Reading 111
5 Control of Mastitis and Enhancement of Milk Quality 117
Andrew Bradley, Herman Barkema, Andrew Biggs, Martin Green and Theo Lam
Introduction 117
An international perspective on mastitis and milk production 117
The economics of bovine mastitis 121
Welfare implications of bovine mastitis 123
The public health implications and perception of bovine milk 123
Underlying Principles of Disease 125
Anatomy and physiology 125
Host immune defence 125
Genetic susceptibility of the host 129
Pathogens and their behaviour 129
Major versus minor pathogens 131
Mastitis Diagnostics 133
Detection or diagnosis 133
Mastitis detection 133
Somatic cell counting 134
Mastitis diagnosis 135
Selecting a diagnostic technique 136
Monitoring and Analysis of Mastitis Data 139
Monitoring and interpreting somatic cell count data 140
Monitoring and interpreting clinical mastitis data 145
Summary of monitoring 147
Control of Mastitis 147
Principles of control 147
Action and reaction 150
National control schemes 151
Contagious mastitis control 151
Environmental mastitis control 156
Managing the milk-harvesting process 160
Biosecurity 162
The role of the heifer in mastitis control 163
Conclusions 164
References and Further Reading 164
6 Control of Lameness 169
Jon Huxley, Simon Archer, Nick Bell, Mark Burnell, Laura Green,
Sarah Potterton and Jon Reader
Introduction 169
Healthy feet and normal locomotion 169
Definition of lameness 170
Incidence and prevalence of lameness 170
The impact of lameness 170
Heritability of lameness 171
Causes of foot lameness 172
Farmer attitudes to lameness 172
Evaluating and Monitoring Lameness 174
The importance of good farm records 174
Setting up a locomotion scoring system on the farm 175
Recognizing foot lesions 177
vviiiiii Contents
Methods of recording locomotion and lesions 177
Practical use of lameness data 178
Lameness targets 181
The future of monitoring lameness in dairy herds 182
Summary 183
Control of Lameness 183
Treatment of clinical cases 185
Routine foot trimming 187
Foot bathing and disinfection 188
Management of cow groups and movements 190
Lying time and cubicle comfort 192
Standing times and concrete surfaces 193
Cleanliness and slurry management 196
Tracks and walkways 197
Nutrition 198
Biosecurity 199
Conclusions 199
References and Further Reading 200
7 Control of Infectious Disease 205
Laura Green, Simon Archer, Andrew Biggs, Andrew Bradley, James Breen,
Peter Down, Martin Green, Mike Kerby, Gerdien van Schaik and Wendela Wapenaar
Introduction 205
Principles of infectious disease control 205
Introduction of a new pathogen 205
Spread of a new pathogen within a herd 206
Persistence of a pathogen within a herd 206
The spread of infectious diseases between herds 207
Principles of Infectious Disease Control 207
Elimination of a disease from a herd 207
Control of a disease in a herd 208
Diagnostic Tests 209
Test sensitivity and specificity 209
Predictive value of a test 211
Estimating the presence and prevalence of disease 211
Monitoring Infectious Disease 212
Control of Infectious Disease: General Concepts 214
Biosecurity in dairy herds 214
Practical Implementation of Infectious Disease Control: Disease Examples 215
Control or eradication? 215
Evaluating herd infection status 220
Avoiding introduction or reintroduction of a pathogen 222
Preventing spread and persistence of a pathogen within a herd 222
Conclusions 223
References and Further Reading 224
8 Nutritional Management of Herd Health 227
Alastair Hayton, James Husband and Richard Vecqueray
Introduction: The Role of Nutrition in Dairy Herd Health and Production 227
Background: Key Concepts 228
The role of glucose in cow metabolism 228
The pivotal role of the liver in adaptation to NEB 229
Cont ents iixx
Inappropriate metabolic responses of cows in NEB 229
Protein metabolism 230
Trace elements and vitamins 231
Monitoring of Nutritional Management, Including Herd Targets 231
Assessment of the records 231
Monitoring nutrition: assessment of the cow 240
Monitoring metabolic markers 246
Monitoring of nutrition: assessments of feeding 249
Monitoring feeding: forages 257
Key Concepts in Formulation 265
Control of Major Nutrition-related Disease 265
Nutritional control of hypocalcaemia 268
Nutritional control of fatty liver and ketosis 270
Nutritional control of displaced abomasum 271
Nutritional control of subacute ruminal acidosis 272
Summary 274
Acknowledgements 274
References and Further Reading 274
9 Dairy Farming, Food Security and Environmental Issues 279
Jonathan Statham, Martin Green, Jon Huxley and Sian Statham
Introduction 279
Background: Food Security, Energy Security and Climate Change 279
Food security 280
Energy security 282
Environmental Issues: Significance for the Dairy Industry 283
Impacts of dairy farming on the atmosphere and climate change 284
Impacts of dairy farming on water 286
Impacts of dairy farming on biodiversity and local ecology 287
Promoting and enforcing environment protection 289
Reducing the Impact of Dairy Farming on the Environment 289
The influence of increased efficiency and improved health and reproduction 289
Conclusion: Dairy Farming and the Environment 293
References and Further Reading 293
Appendix 1 Sample Sizes and Disease Prevalence Estimates 297
Martin Green and Laura Green
Sample Size Estimates 297
Estimating Disease Prevalence from Test Results 298
Appendix 2 Genetics and Herd Health 301
Jonathan Statham and Martin Green
Introduction 301
Genetic Indices 301
UK indices 302
Production traits 302
Genetic indices outside the UK 303
Reliability of genetic indices 303
Heritability 303
Genetic defects 303
Reference 304
Index 305