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Dairy Cow Health (and Welfare): A cause for concern? Mission Impossible?

This study examines the state of dairy cow welfare, health concerns within the industry, and factors leading to cows losing out in the market. It delves into issues like ill-health, pain, suffering, lameness, mastitis, reproduction, metabolic diseases, infectious diseases, and calving management. The text discusses the declining fertility rates, prevalence of diseases, and market drivers affecting dairy cow welfare. It points out the need for better cow health management and the importance of meeting the cows' needs in the dairy industry.

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Dairy Cow Health (and Welfare): A cause for concern? Mission Impossible?

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  1. Dairy Cow Health (and Welfare):A cause for concern?Mission Impossible? Martin Green Prof Cattle Health and Epidemiology Jon Huxley Assoc Prof Cattle Health Population Health Group

  2. Thanks to…SVMS Population Health Staff: Dr Andrew Bates Dr Marnie Brennan Dr Rachel Dean (Director Evidence-based Vet Med Centre) Prof Martin Green Dr Jon Huxley Dr Nigel Kendall Prof Jamie Leigh Adam Spencer Dr Wendela Wapenaar Dr Lisa Yon Postgraduate Students: Aurélien Madouasse Sarah Potterton Hannah Robbins Jennifer Wills David Black Special Profs / Lecturers: Prof Laura Green James Husband Peter Orpin Dairy Herd Health Group: Andy Biggs Dr James Breen Mark Burnell Alistair Hayton Bill May Jon Reader Jon Statham Mike Thorne RCVS Trust Clinical Resident : Simon Archer

  3. Our Perspective • Dairy cows • Cow health/welfare and a ‘free’ global market • Close to farm • Research in bovine health • Role of the veterinary surgeon of today and tomorrow • Author views!

  4. Dairy Cow Welfare • A state of ‘wellbeing’, ‘normality’, physical and emotional norm • 5 freedoms • from hunger and thirst • from discomfort • from pain, injury and disease • to express normal behaviour • from fear and distress • Health an important component of good welfare • Terminology used in a variety of ways

  5. Dairy Cow Welfare Ill health Pain Suffering by • ‘Hurt’ (sensations eg aches, stabs, heat etc) • Emotional state altered • Behavioural changes

  6. Dairy Industry

  7. But within this market… Loser

  8. In what way are cows losing out? • Health • NB Other aspects e.g. Behaviours Fear, distress Discomfort Nutrition

  9. Concerns - Lameness

  10. UK Incidence Rate (Cows treated/100cows/year) Independent

  11. UK Prevalence • Proportion of the herd affected: • 34% (0 – 70%) • (Heath Feet Project 2006-07) • 30.0% (8.5 – 74.2%) • (Huxley 2005) • 24.2% (6.8 – 55.6%) • (Huxley et al 2004) • 23.1% & 20.0% • (Main et al 2003) • 20.6% (2 – 53.9%) • (Clarkson et al 1996)

  12. Concerns – Mastitis“Inflammation of the Mammary Gland” • Clinical cases • Subclinical infections • Somatic Cell Counts

  13. Incidence Rate of Clinical Mastitis >50 cases/100 cows/yr Bradley et al 2007

  14. Herd Somatic Cell Counts Bulk tank SCC in 1845 herds over 3 years 45% herd test days above 200,000

  15. Somatic Cell Counts Individual Cow in 1845 herds over 3 years • 25% herds: >30% cow-readings above 200,000 cells/ml • 25% herds : > 20% cows remain above 200,000 cells/ml for 2 consecutive recordings

  16. Concerns - Reproduction • Dairy cow fertility has been declining globally over the last 20 years ~rate of 1% per year • Most common reason for non-emergency culling • 30-50% of all culls

  17. Concerns - Metabolic Disease? • Displaced abomasa • Hypocalcaemia • (Sub clinical) Ketosis

  18. Concerns – Infectious disease • BVD, IBR, Johnes, Leptosporosis, Neospora, calf pneumonia … • National prevalence? • BVD / Leptosporosis >90% herds affected? • Test difficulties • Lack of co-ordinated efforts to control?

  19. Concerns - Calving Management? • Calving associated • Incidence rate? • A common cause of on-farm emergency culling and death of adult dairy cows?

  20. Cow health could be better...Why are cows losing out? Important market drivers? • Cheap (healthy, ethical) food • More for less mentality? • Global ‘oversupply’ for many years (until recently) • Important driver of dairy prices (niches within…)

  21. Why are cows losing out? • Cheap food is great but … • Is there enough in the farm budget for • Capital projects • Skilled labour (if available) • Attention to detail • Novel technologies

  22. Why are cows losing out? • Cheap food is great but … • Our demands on each cow tend to increase • Increased metabolic load

  23. Increased Metabolic Load… • Human Energy Requirements • Manual work or moderate exercise ~1.2 times maintenance • Tour de France Cyclist • 2.7 x M • Polar Expeditions • 2.4 – 3.4 x M • Average UK Dairy Cow • 3.2 x M • High yielding dairy cow • 4.8 x M

  24. Why are cows losing out? • Cheap food is great but … • Our demands on each cow tend to increase • Genetics focused on output (recently reduced) • Farm environments need adapting for modern cows?

  25. Unsuitable environments? • Cubicle size

  26. Unsuitable environments? Concrete

  27. Unsuitable environments? It’s not just housing…!!

  28. What a Market doesn’t ask:- Cow NEEDS? Provide resources to meet needs?

  29. Dairy Industry

  30. Public perception of dairying good at present? • A distant view? • Will it change…

  31. An Example: Mr F, Somerset • Current performance • Lame - top 5% • Repro - top 5% • Mastitis – top 20% • 9000 litres/cow/yr • Housed ~75% of the year • Good farmer, cows quiet, in very good condition, cow focused environment

  32. An Example: Mr F, Somerset • Many years of poor milk prices…

  33. An Example: Mr F, Somerset As soon as milk prices increased … …invested in new buildings / environment for the cows

  34. Farmer approach… • Many would like to spend more on improving cow health and welfare • But variation in attitudes Not always clear return on investment for health / welfare matters

  35. Farmer approach… • Many different personalities and abilities • No training required • Little regular quality assurance Basic ‘Health’ Schemes… • National dairy farm assurance scheme • Retailer schemes

  36. But who will improve the cow’s situation? Milk Buyer ? Farmer ? Consumer? Govern-ment ? Retailer ? Vets? Welfare Groups ? Funding bodies

  37. But who will improve the cow’s situation? ?Mission Impossible Vets?

  38. Modern Veterinary Approach to Managing Dairy Herd Health • Many vet practices undertaking dairy herd health management • NOT JUST HEALTH PLANNING!! • ? How many herds are included in holistic veterinary herd health schemes? • … elements of our approach

  39. Approach to Managing Dairy Herd Health • Farms opt in • Payment schemes • Fixed pence per litre (contract) to deliver agreed services • Services include • All aspects of health • +/ Diet formulation • Agreed out of hours component • Agreed surgical component • Agreed small animal component!

  40. Approach to Managing Dairy Herd Health • Main health elements • Reproduction • Lameness • Mastitis • Metabolic conditions • Infectious & parasitic disease • Injury • Nutrition • Culling reasons • Young stock • Biosecurity

  41. Approach to Managing Dairy Herd Health Objectives Recording Evaluation/interpretation Targets achieved? Yes or No Problem analysis (diagnosis + intervention)

  42. Approach to Managing Dairy Herd Health • Herd size is increasing (~20% cows in herds >200 cows) • Assess cows and environment, but • Emphasis on data and its interpretation- POPULATIONS • Monitor “Critical Indicators” • Provide early warning systems of health and production issues • Use of software

  43. Data Monitoring – Critical Indicators • Monthly or fortnightly assessment ofearly indicators of health or production • Realistic targets • for individual units

  44. Data Monitoring • Vets have a great opportunity; • To assess data quality • To encourage accurate use • To provide regular feedback and analysis • Quantitative skills useful! • Assess herd patterns • Can use probability to help decision process • (Approx level of certainty)

  45. Decision-Making Strength of Information Importance of Event Cost / Effort to Change Possible outcomes

  46. Why Doesn’t it Always Work?? • Farmer compliance • Resources available • Financial • ‘Time’ • Attitudes to risk • “Prior” beliefs • Knowledge gaps e.g. • Lameness • Reproduction • Social and psychological aspects

  47. Dairy Herd Health • Key issues Relationships Social aspects

  48. Taking it Further:A National Health Scheme for Mastitis Control in Dairy Cows • Aim to identify a team of UK veterinary surgeons and advisors to work in a collaborative manner to develop a widespread mastitis control scheme • Using a plan tested in a national RCT • First 80 people signed up! Andrew Bradley, James Breen, Chris Hudson

  49. DairyCo Mastitis Control Plan 10-15 Action Points “Data Patterns ” Herd Category Must Should COMPLIANCE Could STARTED APRIL 2009!

  50. Dairy Cow Health and the Environment?

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