Heard-health-parameters Dairy Herds Calculating Workability Comparison of Different Heard-health-parameters used in Dairy Herds concerning algorithm of Calculating and Workability

Heard-Health-Parameters No Single-Health-Parameters concerning one animal (Temp, Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Milk Yield measured on a day or longer period, Calving interval, Time to first service, SCC) Concerning more animals in a herd (Culling Rate, Service Rate, Conception Rate, Pregnancy efficiency, Cows pregnant)

Workability Making sense Unique Fast Low Costs

Milk Yield Fertility Longevity Milk Quality

Milk Animals Fertility Longevity Udder Health Metabolism sold

Relation Amount a Amount b

Proportion Part amount a Whole amount a

Average

Does only make sense as a stock variable Average and Time Average Time Does only make sense as a stock variable

Events as Relation or Proportion Time

Which fertility parameter make sense? Calving interval “In-Calf-Rates” Conception rate Submission rate

Calving Interval Can a herd have a calving interval? Single cow parameter How we can transform it to a herd parameter? Mean calving interval? Which cows in a herd? heifers? how we can put it in relation to a time period?

What we look upon as fertility? Amount of cows calving in a period of time? end of the pregnancies Amount of cows conceiving in a period of time? start of the pregnancies How to put it in relation to herdspecific parameters? Eligible, herdsize How to put it in relation to time. Which calendar? Gregorian, 21 day period

The event time relationship Rates, Flow variables, events per time telling you what happens in a period of time Possible events start of the pregnancies, served cows, culled cows Gregorian calendar Months 28 – 31 days, quarter 60 – 62 days, year 365 to 366 days 21 day period 21 different calenders, 17 .38 or 17.42 periods in a year.

Pregnancy Rate 21 day period

Pregnancy Rate Monthly

Fertility Events Relations Conceptions (start of pregnancy) Services Conceptions/Services /Time Conceptions/ Herdsize/Time

Stock variables in a time period Herd size in February 2016: 29 days. 10 days x 100 cows, 10 days x 98 cows, 9 days x 101 cows. 2889 cow days/29 days = 99.62 Cow days, heifer days, cow <= 63 days in lactation days, cow eligible to breed days start of the pregnancies, served cows, culled cows

The 21 day period 17 periods in a year confusing: days x 101 cows. 2889 cow days/29 days = 99.62 How to get the 21 day period character?

A cow counts every 21 days as 1 eligible cow. Usual calculation: 1 cow 21 days in February 2017 counts 21/29 = 0.72 How to get the 21 day period character? cow 21 days in February 2017 counts 21/29 * 29/21 = 1

January 31 days Cow days Counts Cow 15 0.71 Cow 5 0.24 Cow 21 1

“In calf rates cumulative”

“In calf rates to DIM”

Rates: Culling Rates (all cows, cows -42, cows -64, calves -21 days, youngstock 12 to 56 weeks) Fertility Rates (pregnancy rate, pregnancy efficiency, submission rate, conception rate, fertility rate) Udder health Rates (scc per month, -new infections, cured –during lactations and over dry period) Metabolism Rates (Milk per cow and day in lactation stages Percentage Fat content higher 5.1 percent -42 Dim, -84 Dim)

Fertility Pregnancy Rate Service/Mating Rate Conception Rate

Concieved /Time! Served Eligibles

Time Pregnancy Rate Eligible to conceive Conceptions served served

Pregnancy rate Conceptions Eligible to conceive Time

Fertility Rate Conceptions Cow Herd Size Time

Submission Rate Served Eligible to conceive Time

Conception Rate Conceptions Served Time

Fertility Rate Yearly

Fertility Rate Quarterly

Fertility Rate Monthly

Eligible Rates Yearly

Eligible Rates Quarterly

Eligible Rates Monthly

Udder health parameter SCC average values Proportion Infected Infection history lactation dry Period When a cow deems as infected?

When a cow deems as infected? 140 k/ml in USA 200 k/ ml in UK 100 k/ ml in Germany On from 100 k/ml composition changes On from 120 k/ml no hard cheese

Culling Parameters Cows: lactation, lactation-stage Youngstock: Grouping in ages Breeds, Genetics

The meaning of workable Herd-Health-Parameters Making decisions on farm Making conclusions in research

Meaningful, unique, fast and low cost Purchase software packages (check the criteria) Do a lot yourself (with some training and some IT-Tools)

How to do it? Microsoft Office Use some software tools that control Microsoft Office to calculate the figures and prepare the graphs.

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