Respiratory diseases in calves. An economic analysis

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Calf mortality significantly impacts dairy herd economics.
• Respiratory disease (r.d.) is a major health concern in young calves.
• Understanding disease dynamics is crucial for effective herd management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the incidence and economic impact of respiratory disease in a Danish dairy herd.
• To evaluate the utility of disease modeling for economic forecasting in calf populations.
• To analyze the effects of herd health status and sales policies on economic outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Data collected from 910 calves over three years in a 350-cow Danish dairy herd.
• Epidemiological analysis of respiratory disease attack, case fatality, and mortality rates.
• Application of a mathematical disease model to assess economic implications.

Main Results:

• The overall respiratory disease attack rate was 23%, with a 40% case fatality rate and a 9% mortality rate.
• Mortality from other ailments was 11%, leading to a 20% overall mortality rate in the first six months.
• The disease model demonstrated the versatility of health models for economic forecasting.

Conclusions:

• Respiratory disease poses a significant mortality risk to calves.
• Health models are valuable tools for economic forecasting in livestock production.
• Economic impacts of herd health and sales strategies can be effectively evaluated using these models.