Animal Health and You Jess Spatz Shelgren DVM In Calf Advisor, Intelact Consultant, Mastitis Support Advisor
Trust me, I am a Vet and I am here to help you...
Making the most of your vet in a low payout Animal health planning, performance review, herd data Milk quality Reproduction Nutrition and trace elements Body condition scoring Feed budgeting Calf/young stock health
Vet: cost or investment?
Review and Plan Make the most out of your MQC You have our undivided attention for 1 hour Opportunity to plan ahead for next season, not just mastitis and drug use
Prescription Animal Remedies Use linked to animal health Always better to find solutions and develop plans to prevent rather than treat Review cost of animal health on your farm (information provided)
Develop AH Calendar Cost out preventative actions vs cost of treatments Make a calendar of when to do what to prevent disease Work it out with your vet Don t forget young stock
Management circle Goal setting Re-assessment Gap assessment Plan Execute
We would much rather not be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff
Information is Ammunition Herd test Milk production and quality Submissions to AI/Bull Pregnancy testing results Incidence of clinical mastitis Incidence of lameness Other diseases-metabolic etc Culling reasons Deaths
The more you share The more we can help you Infovet Secure and safe Herd test, MINDA/Ambreed information Fencepost/OCC Review with rural professional See gaps, plan actions to close them It s FREE to our clients!
BMSCC
Yearly Incidence of clinical mastitis
Monthly Incidence 2014-15
3 week submission rates
Mastitis is the MOST COSTLY Animal Health issue facing every farm
Milk Quality and Mastitis Prevention is ALWAYS better than treatment Dry cow planning What, when, who, how and why
Why do we dry treat? Clear up existing infections Prevent new infections over dry period Reduce risk of infections in early lactation Aids in closing of teat canal
Every Cow Needs Protection Smart SAMM Says!
Clinical mastitis during the dry period A 200 cow herd can expect 9 cows with clinical mastitis during the dry period with NO DRY COW therapy (4.5%) If dry treat 30% of the herd, can expect 7 cases of clinical mastitis (4.5% of 140 +.5% of 60) If dry treat 100%, expect 1 case (.5%) Are you willing to take that risk?
Clinical Mastitis at Calving In a 200 cow herd, with no DCT, can expect 52 cases of clinical mastitis around calving (>25% of the herd) With 30% of the herd DCT, can expect 43 cases (20%) With 100% treated, can expect 30 cases (15%)
What Does This co$t? $150 per case for treatment, wasted milk and labour Long term lower production: as much as 15% lower Long term reproduction effects: cows with mastitis the first 30 days of lactation average 30 days longer to get in calf.
Look at the Money-200 cows Cost of dry cow therapy, blanket ALL cows, long acting at $18.00/cow: 3600 $ plus the 31 (at calving and dry) cases of mastitis anticipated with it, @$150/case ($4650)= $8250 Cost of mastitis without it (@ $150/case) remember 61 cases: $9150 $900 opportunity-blanket dry cow
This does not include the cows that die, are culled or that become 3-quartered from their mastitis It does not include repeat cases that become chronic problems It does not include longer days empty and more reproductive costs HASSLE factor?
Not Set In Stone Treat 30% of the herd (60 cows at $18/cow)= $1080 Expect 49 cases of clinical mastitis @ $150/case= $7350 Total= $8430 May choose to mix and match different dry cow products that have different costs. Work with your vet on this
New Research Supporting Combination Treatment Large trial in Australia-Runciman and all Over 6 herds used Compared to dry cow alone Reviewed incidence of clinical cases Reviewed affect on SCC
Reduction in Clinical Mastitis Cows receiving combination therapy had an average of 2 times less clinical mastitis during the first 30 days after calving than cows receiving just dry cow therapy. This affect was even more pronounced (over 3 times less mastitis) in cows with high SCC (>250,00) in the previous lactation
Used Orbenin Enduro and Teatseal Slide compliments of Renée Lodder, Pfizer Animal Health
Affect on Environmental Mastitis Slide compliments of Renée Lodder, Pfizer Animal Health
Consider this... Combination treatment seems to have a greater effect in high SCC cows Reasons not completely understood High SCC cows are more likely to develop clinical mastitis in the following lactation despite dry cow therapy Using a teat sealant with dry cow therapy seems to reduce that chance
Runciman Trial Slide compliments of Renée Lodder, Pfizer Animal Health
Key Points Combination therapy reduces clinical mastitis by 70% in the first 21 days across the board Best return using combination therapy on high SCC cows- 74% reduction Still great effect on low SCC cows: 46% reduction Combination therapy seems to reduce SCC by 100,000 at first herd test
Economics 200 cow herd Long acting blanket treatment: $3600 15% clinical mastitis at calving = 30 cows $4500
Combination 200 cows = $4300 to treat Incidence of clinical mastitis 7.5% = 15 cases =$2250 Difference in treatment price: $1550 Break even point: 8% incidence If you get more than 8% the first 3 weeks after calving, it will pay!
Pick your Cows Talk to your vet Highest SCC/clinical cows, combo Teat sealant or dry cow only the rest Look at length of dry period Risks for mastitis over the dry period and at calving Clients who use combo never go back, get little or not mastitis at calving
Protect the Future-
What about heifers?
Heifer Mastitis Research shows that >70% of heifers have bacteria in their udders 3 weeks prior to calving Heifers often have the highest incidence of clinical mastitis within the herd Often poor records to prove this Costs even more-more prone to losing quarters and becoming chronic
Preventing Heifer Mastitis Teat spraying through the shed twice a week 14-21 days prior to calving Twice daily removal of calves Teat sealing
Old News Sealing teats in heifers works Expect 50% or more (as high as 70%) reduction in the number if cases of clinical mastitis Economics will depend upon if share-milker or owner and percentage of heifers with mastitis last season Break even for share milker is 8% Break even for owner is any heifers
We know it pay$!!! Stress Hassle Staff retention Managing mastitis mob Treating cows and heifers Reproduction Loss of quarters Culling Death
Not as difficult as expected
Testimonials Talk Clients that start using internal teat sealant in heifers never stop They do not stop talking about it They are surprised how easily and smoothly it goes Team approach to minimising clinical mastitis at calving Impressions: less severe, easier to treat
Help with your Reproductive Performance Get cows to calve healthy Get ready for mating ahead of time Plan your mating including addressing dirty cows, non-cyclers and late calvers Early interventions always pay Bull health and management, are they fertile? Get the R2s in calf early
Repro Ready Service Free to Vetfocus clients Plan out all interventions, animal health related to mating, bull management and pregnancy testing Who, what, why and when
Ask your vet for help EARLY Review last season s performance-now Can it be improved, if so, how? Listen to suggestions Look at what can be done to get better LONG before mating starts Metrichecks Condition score Bull testing
In Calf DairyNZ initiative: National Herd Fertility programme 6 week Challenge LIC s programme More cows in calf in the first 6 weeks More milk More replacements Fewer cows not in calf More profitable Most vets are In Calf trained
Resources Reference book Tools to assess gaps (financials) Action groups One on one advice Plan->do->review Many successes
Nutrition and Trace Elements How do you know if you are on track? Managing in a drought and low payout? Pasture walks? BCS cows? feed budgets? Trace element status? Review metabolic disease incidence with your vet Plan to PREVENT
Do you have a problem? What is normal when it come to down cows/metabolic disease? Do you know the cause(s)? Did any die? What did that cost you? Did you have ketosis? What is normal when it comes to retained membranes? Your vet is the best person to help you with these questions
Make a plan NOW Review what happened-if it ain t broke, don t fix it But...if it is, make a plan Monitor intakes Take bloods Work with your vet and advisers Cutting corners with metabolic disease is very costly
Long Term Effects Reduced fertility Higher culling Lower production Retained membranes Mastitis Hassle factor
Trace Element Status Cutting corners may jeopardise animal health! Magnesium and calcium-essential especially in spring and if maize Selenium-immune function + fertility Copper-growth, immunity + fertility Cobalt-growth and intakes Salt-water consumption Zinc-seasonal-FE and lameness
How do you know? Liver biopsy Blood tests Performance Best not to wait until animals are truly deficient! Talk to your vet, the cost of testing may be less than the cost of supplementing
Cow Condition Most vets are qualified to body condition score cows Check with other rural professionals Make decisions to get cows at BCS at calving and prevent them from losing more than BCS between calving and mating Work with your vet and/or advisor to get these results
Seasonal Summary
The Herd on the Day
Got Feed? How do you know if you have enough? Do you have a plan if not? Your vet and advisor can help you plan Assess where you are at-and make a plan to get where you want to go and get help to get you there We are just a phone call away...
Young Stock
Calves, R1 and R2 heifers These are often the overlooked poor cousins of the farming system Do they get a great start? Heaps of good colostrum? Plenty of dry bedding and no diseases? Go off grazing at target weight? Come back at target weight in calf early?
Calf Health Calfhood diseases Scours Pneumonia Staggers Polio Navel infections What is normal? Are you good? Good time to ask your vet is NOW Great time to plan for next season
Your vet can help you determine causes of calfhood diseases and help you make plans to prevent them Before it s too late... Examinations Faecal samples Post mortem Treatment regimes Set up prevention programmes
Heifer Health Drenching programmes Vaccinations FE prevention Target weights Mating programmes
Summary Good animal health doesn t have to cost heaps Do the little things right and your cows will be healthy-pay attention to details! Your vet wants you to be successful and your animals to be healthy and profitable Just because the pay out is low, don t cut corners on animal health, their lives and your livelihood depend on it!
Thank you