Improving Dairy Herd Health

Increasing concern about over-reliance on antibiotics (resulting in antimicrobial resistance), as well as broader concerns about animal welfare, have put greater emphasis on preventative measures in maintaining the health of farm animals. Herd health management (HHM) programmes take a population approach based on quantitative epidemiology which makes it possible to assess disease risk and, as a result, prevent and manage diseases more effectively. Improving dairy herd health reviews key challenges in dairy herd health management, such as effective monitoring and diagnosis of infectious diseases, as well as recent developments in areas such as disease prevention and disease surveillance. This collection reviews HHM issues across the dairy cow life cycle, from reproduction and calf health to the transition stage and replacement of stock. Later chapters discuss the successful implementation of HHM programmes in specific instances, from maintaining udder and hoof health, to preventing metabolic disorders, bacterial and viral diseases, as well as parasitic infections.

Audience: University and other researchers in dairy and veterinary science;dairy veterinary practitioners;governments and other agencies responsible for disease prevention and control on dairy farms;companies providing veterinary and nutritional products to optimise dairy cattle health;farmers instigating herd health programmes