title: The cost of generic clinical mastitis in dairy cows as estimated by using dynamic programming.
abstract: The objective of this study was to estimate the cost of generic clinical mastitis (CM) in high-yielding dairy cows given optimal decisions concerning handling of CM cases. A specially structured optimization and simulation model that included a detailed representation of repeated episodes of CM was used to study the effects of various factors on the cost of CM. The basic scenario was based on data from 5 large herds in New York State. In the basic scenario, 92% of the CM cases were recommended to be treated. The average cost of CM per cow and year in these herds was $71. The average cost of a CM case was $179. It was composed of $115 because of milk yield losses, $14 because of increased mortality, and $50 because of treatment-associated costs. The estimated cost of CM was highly dependent on cow traits: it was highest ($403) in cows with high expected future net returns (e.g., young, high-milk-yielding cows), and was lowest ($3) in cows that were recommended to be culled for reasons other than mastitis. The cost per case of CM was 18% higher with a 20% increase in milk price and 17% lower with a 20% decrease in milk price. The cost per case of CM was affected little by a 20% change in replacement cost or pregnancy rate. Changes in CM incidence, however, resulted from changes in these factors, thus affecting whole-farm profitability. The detailed results obtained from this insemination and replacement optimization model can assist farmers in making CM treatment decisions.
authors.affiliation: Section of Epidemiology, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. db324@cornell.edu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bar
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Tauer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hertl
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Schukken
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Welcome
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Gröhn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002417:Cattle; D002452:Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003612:Dairying / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000401:mortality; D008892:Milk / Q000166:cytology / Q000191:economics* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000592:standards; D008954:Models, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents