Conference proceedings article
Reducing medicine use through animal health and welfare planning
Publication Details
Authors: | Leeb, C.; Winckler, C.; Ivemeyer, S.; Smolders, G.; Brinkmann, J.; Gratzer, E.; Henriksen, B.; March, S.; Mejdell, C.; Roderick, S.; Walkenhorst, M.; Vaarst, M. |
Editor: | Thulin, Carl-Gustaf |
Publisher: | SLU |
Place: | Uppsala, Sweden |
Publication year: | 2015 |
Pages range : | 21 |
Book title: | Livestock production in the post antibiotic era; 8th International Global Challenges University Alliance Workshop, November 30 – December 3, |
Volume number: | 2015 |
Number of pages: | 1 |
Abstract
An on-farm intervention study (COREOrganic ANIPLAN) was conducted on 128 organic dairy farms in seven European countries aiming at minimising medicine use through animal health and welfare planning (AHWP).Medicine use was assessed as the number of treatments of various disease categories (e.g.udder, fertility, metabolism, locomotion) generated from farm records and national databases. Focus areas of animal health and welfare plans were either generated in Stable Schools or using face-to-face advice. Most frequently chosen focusareas were metabolic disorders (66% of farms),udder health (58%), lameness (47%) and fertility(39%). The total number of treatments, thenumber of udder treatments and of metabolictreatments was significantly reduced during theone year study period, whilst the number of treatmentsof lame cows increased. With the exception of SCS, which improved significantly, the otherhealth indicators remained stable. Milk yield and average lactation number also remained unchanged.Overall, the implementation of AHWP reduced total treatment incidence and improved the udder health situation across all farms regardless of the focus areas in the AHWP. Hence, AHWP can be regarded as a feasible approach to minimising medicine use without the impairment of production and herd health in Europeanorganic dairy farms. Areas of interest: health an
An on-farm intervention study (COREOrganic ANIPLAN) was conducted on 128 organic dairy farms in seven European countries aiming at minimising medicine use through animal health and welfare planning (AHWP).Medicine use was assessed as the number of treatments of various disease categories (e.g.udder, fertility, metabolism, locomotion) generated from farm records and national databases. Focus areas of animal health and welfare plans were either generated in Stable Schools or using face-to-face advice. Most frequently chosen focusareas were metabolic disorders (66% of farms),udder health (58%), lameness (47%) and fertility(39%). The total number of treatments, thenumber of udder treatments and of metabolictreatments was significantly reduced during theone year study period, whilst the number of treatmentsof lame cows increased. With the exception of SCS, which improved significantly, the otherhealth indicators remained stable. Milk yield and average lactation number also remained unchanged.Overall, the implementation of AHWP reduced total treatment incidence and improved the udder health situation across all farms regardless of the focus areas in the AHWP. Hence, AHWP can be regarded as a feasible approach to minimising medicine use without the impairment of production and herd health in Europeanorganic dairy farms. Areas of interest: health an
