Short communication: survey of fresh cow management practices of dairy cattle on small and large commercial farms.
The objective was to conduct a survey of current fresh cow management practices that have an effect on health and diseases postpartum considering different herd sizes of commercial dairy farms. A mail survey regarding aspects of the fresh cow program including general management issues, calving, diseases, and veterinary service was conducted utilizing a convenience sample. A total of 429 survey forms were returned (12.0% response rate) and could be used for final analysis. Only 21.6% of the farms had a designated fresh cow pen. Almost every farm executed some type of fresh cow examination. Only 18.5% of farm managers documented the observations. Most of the dairy managers used more or less subjective criteria such as general appearance (97.0%) and appetite (69.7%). Only a minority of the responding dairy managers monitored their fresh cows using objective (fever 33.6%) or semiquantitative measures (subclinical ketosis 2.8%; body condition score 36.4%). On most farms, the veterinarian visited the herd only if needed (72.6%). Most cases of retained fetal membranes were treated by manual removal (72.3%) and antibiotic pills (89.5%). Several challenges and opportunities were identified to improve cow management practices.
Heuwieser
W
W
Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. wolfgang.heuwieser@ubc.ca
Iwersen
M
M
Gossellin
J
J
Drillich
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires