Transcript integrated dairy herd healthmanagement as the basis

Faculteit
Diergeneeskunde
Integrated veterinary herd health
management as the basis for
sustainable animal production
(dairy herd health as an example)
Prof. dr. G. Opsomer
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Ghent University.
Developments In Farming
More free trade and competition in farm products
Industrialization of farming
- Animals in large units
- Minimization of investment costs for animal
facilities
Individual productivity has increased very much
by selected breeding
Cows are pushed to the limits of their
productivity
Consequences
As an implicit consequence of these
developments adverse effects have arisen:
Animal health problems
Impaired animal welfare
The use of large amounts of medicines
A high risk for residues
Developments in CONSUMERS CLIENTS
Demand daily food at a low price
Ask questions directed to animal
welfare
Are concerned about the amount of
residues in food of animal origin
The QUESTIONS are:
How…
to keep animals in good health
to improve animal welfare
to produce safe food for a reasonable
price ?
Answer to the problem:
 To start a herd health management
programme
 The veterinarian has to develop strategies to
improve animal health and welfare and to
produce safe food. He has a major
responsability on these issues.
 Farmers should pay more attention to
animal health and welfare and save food.
History of Health management
Originally the emphasis was on the individual
cow affected with a clinical disease.
About 30 years ago subclinical disease was
recognized as the major cause of economic loss
It turned out that regularly scheduled visits to
farms were effective in improving the health
status. Because most health problems are
complex and are of multifactorial origin. For
example fertility and mastitis.
HEALTH STATUS AND ANIMAL
WELFARE
Are mainly influenced by:
Housing conditions
Feeding
Hygienic measures
Infections
Breeding and selection
Management
For example: Fertility
Fertility is influenced by
Housing: slippery slatted floors and poor
quality beddings
Feeding: negative energy balance
Hygiene: endometritis, abnormal discharge
Infections: Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus
Breeding: high or low “fertile” bulls
Management: heat detection
HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMMES (part 1)
Goal: to eliminate production
inefficiencies which are caused by
factors that impair animal health
Each dairy herd presents a unique
combination of these factors
It is the veterinarian’s task to trace
these factors and implement an
integrated herd health and production
management system
HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMMES (part 2)
Goal: the animals and animal products
entering the food chain (dairy,
slaughterhouse) must be free from disease
and residues
In each dairy herd medicines are used.
Strategies have to be developed to reduce
the risk of residues in food of animal origin.
The key person in such a programme is
also the veterinarian. He has to ensure the
quality of the animals and dairy products
A herd health management
programme
Is a total quality assurance system,
which consists of :
Regularly scheduled veterinary activities
Good herd management by the farmer
CONERNSTONES OF HERD
HEALTH PROGRAMMES
A competent veterinarian
– Cattle specialist
– Services must be delivered economically
A farmer who is committed to the
programme
Comply with the recommendations of the
veterinarian
A good data recording system
– Simple
– Manual or computerized data recording
BENEFITS AND COSTS FOR
HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Cost effectiveness is essential
Costs:
- veterinary costs and medicine costs
Benefits:
- enhancement of the profitability of
the farmer
Financial losses because of
disease
Reduced animal production (milk and
calves)
Less efficient production
Mortality
Reduced slaughter value
Lost future income owing to disposal
Veterinary costs
Losses because of disease
Average loss per cow per year due to:
reproductive failure:
mastitis:
lameness:
other diseases:
60 Euro
70 Euro
30 Euro
70 Euro
In total: 230 Euro. This is 30 % of the farmer’s
return to labour and management.
Analysis of costs and
benefits
Objective of a herd herd health
programme:
“To change an average farmer into one
belonging to the best 20 %”
Disease costs of these best 20 %
amount to 115 Euro.
Benefits of a herd health
programme
A profit of 115 Euro per cow per year
Improvement of animal welfare
Satisfaction of having a healthy herd
Better farm staff morale
Higher quality of dairy products: less
residues and more safe food
COSTS FOR HEALTH
MANAGEMENT
Veterinary costs for:
–
–
–
–
the time required for data analysis
the services on the farm
preparations of reports and advices
perhaps some extra medicines and
vaccinations
For example herd with 100 dairy cows: 90
minutes per month
Costs of a programme
Veterinary costs per hour: 80 €
Example: Dairy herd of 100 cows:
Per year, 12 visits of 90 minutes: 1.500 €.
Per cow per year: 15 € or
Per 100 kg milk: 15 cent
Costs and benefits analysis
Costs: 1500 € + extra vaccines (800 €) =
2300 €
Benefits: 100 cows x 115 € = 11.500 €
Return on investment: 500 %
Conclusion:
A dairy herd health management
programme is an excellent investment !
PROTOCOL OF A HERD HEALTH
PROGRAMME
Regularly scheduled farm visits
Recording and analysis of animal
health and production data
The provision of advices
Good farm management by the
producer
OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAMME
To support the farmer in reaching his target
of performance and farm goals
For example: calving interval
– Set during the first visit: 400 days
– The actual performance is determined: 446 days
– The veterinarian analyses the problem: clinical
examination of the cows and risk assessment
– Cost-effective corrective action is formulated
Calving interval too long
Risk assessment:
Housing: slippery slatted floors, cubicles
are too small and beddings too hard
resulting in too many stiff and lame cows
Nutrition: body condition is too low 2-3
months post partum
Management: time spent on oestrus
detection is insufficient
HERD MANAGEMENT MEETING
Should provide:
 a summary of the problem: calving interval too long
 the diagnosis made: poor oestrus detection and
oestrus symptoms are difficult to see
 the reasons for failure to achieve the preset goals:
lack of time, housing, nutrition
 recommendations for corrective actions: oestrus
detection 3 times a day 20 minutes, improve dry and
fresh cow feeding, roughen the slatted floors and
improve cubicle beddings
 general advice: eradicate BVD
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
1) to determine the actual performance of
herd health and production

Analysis of data: are the targets of
performance reached?
2) to detect problems before they
become economically significant

Risk assessment: the presence of certain
risk factors. How serious are they?
 Are corrective measures necessary?
 Cost – benefit analysis
FOR EXAMPLE: LAMENESS
Determine the actual performance. Last month
3% lame cows. The goal is reached.
Detect problems before they become significant.
Last month two cases of Mortellaro’s disease
Risk assessment:

Herd level risk factors

Individual cow risk factors
Are corrective actions necessary ?
Nutrition
Housing, hygiene
Foot trimming
{
Stage of lactation
Claw angle
Age
{
To detect problems before they
become significant: INFECTIOUS
DISEASES
The herd is infected by BVD. What to do?

eradication?
Monitoring, vaccination and management practices
 or control?
How to prevent a new infection?: Management
practices are extremely important
Closed dairy herd, quarantine, monitoring by blood
sampling, vaccination
Be always aware of notifiable diseases !!!!
VACCINATION
Vaccination should not replace poor
management. In many cases
management and housing must be
improved
Vaccination needs an accurate
diagnosis, usually after laboratory
confirmation
Vaccins must be admistered and stored
correctly
ITEMS TO EXAMINE
DURING A VISIT
Fertility
Udder health and milk quality
Lameness
Control of infectious diseases
Nutrition and metabolic diseases
Housing
Culling and genetic improvement
Health of young stock
Animal welfare
The use of medicines and food safety
ANIMAL WELFARE
Objectives should be set for achieving
optimal animal welfare
Freedom
 From thirst, hunger and malnutrition
 From discomfort
 From pain, injury and disease
 From fear, distress
 To express normal behaviour
The veterinarian should be the advocate for
animal well being
THE USE OF MEDICINES AND FOOD
SAFETY
When pharmaceuticals are used then
clear written instructions have to be
provided
Adequate withdrawal periods must be
considered
A drug use protocol and residue
avoidance plan should be established
Avoiding residues is a part of the
veterinarian’s task.
WHAT TO DISCUSS AT THE
MANAGEMENT MEETING ?
Problems due to herd management practices
e.g. oestrus detection
Infections: e.g. BVD
Prophylactic procedures: e.g. vaccinations
Procedures required to determine disease
causes: e.g. laboratory analysis
Work to be done to achieve an increased
health status or production performance
Welfare issues; e.g. cubicle design
Food safety issues: e.g. residues, zoonosis
WHAT TO DO AFTER THE VISIT ?
Following the visit, the veterinarian:
 Submits a written report describing the
problems and the proposed actions
 Prescribes any necessary medical
products
 Certificates the herd health status
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
In the future, farmers will have to
produce according to a total
quality assurance system.
Quality is defined in a broad sense.
Involved are:
 The product
 The production method
 The production unit surroundings
Controlled are:
The product: milk and meat
The production method, including
animal health and welfare
The production unit: e.g. housing
The farmer has to produce on the basis
of a Good Agricultural Practice code
His veterinarian has to act according to
Good Veterinary Practice code
HACCP
A herd health programme can be incorporated in
different concepts of quality management:
Hazard analysis critical control points
ISO-9000 series
For the application of quality management to
animal health care and welfare, the HACCP
concept is preferred and suggested by the EU.
HACCP
Points along the food production chain,
where possible hazards may occur, are
identified.
It is a combination of:
Common sense
Evaluation of risks
These points are then strictly managed and
monitored to make sure the process is under
control
CONCLUSION
Modern health care requires an integrated
herd health programme and a close
cooperation between a skilled farmer and a
competent veterinarian.
This will:
Improve animal health and welfare
Guarantee high food quality at reasonalbe
prices
In future a herd health management
programme will be incorporated in a HACCP
system.
Healthy milk from a HACCP
certified farm
Thank you for your attention