The use of databases to manage fertility.

Dairy farming now needs more records to be kept for quality assurance as well as for management. Herd fertility management is best brought about through the use of computerised records for each animal that integrate fertility, health and production. The development of dairy information systems over the last 25 years has allowed the creation of databases that give rise to "standards" of performance and "interference levels". These databases are of limited use for research unless the coding system has a structure and definition that works across herds. There is an increasing need to incorporate carefully coded disease records into these databases as there is increasing concern about welfare, zoonoses, assurance and the environment. Rules can be determined for satisfactory fertility so interference at an early stage is cost-effective. Integrated indices have been developed (using databases) that incorporate the costs of wastage caused by poor fertility, thus highlighting the priorities for management. Databases are best operated near to the farm, either in the veterinarian's office or on-line in the farm office. Databases can be made into expert systems that deliver high standards of fertility management. A checklist is included that can be followed to analyse the causes of poor fertility in a dairy herd.