Health problems not only cause pain and distress for dairy cattle, but they also have a huge impact on the economics of dairy and beef farms.
Generally, when we address the issue of how much a certain disease costs, we tend to think mainly of veterinarian and medication expenses but forget a crucial part - the indirect costs. Some of these indirect costs that can be overlooked include:
- Extra time and labour costs
- Fertility problems
- Costs of preventive measures
- Lost milk production
- Culling costs
- Genetic impact from losing the potentially best performing daughters.
- Bigger risk of having another disease.
Therefore, when calculating the economic impact of a disease on your herd, it is crucial to consider the whole picture.
Improving the health of your herd does matter a lot
Is it possible to improve the health of your livestock, and therefore animal welfare, and maintain high production levels?
Yes, it is possible to accomplish when you breed for healthier animals. When you get fewer disease cases for each generation, your investment will pay off more for each time you reproduce your cows.