Yearly production and reproduction data on dairy farms in The Netherlands were obtained to determine whether management information systems significantly improved herd performance variables (management information systems (MIS) effects). The analysis included 357 adopters of a management information system and 357 herds were used as controls. The data comprised years 1987 through 1996, and incl...

D (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) records are an essential part of dairy herd management for many progressive dairy operations. The old adage “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” holds true when it comes to dairy farm management, particularly when it comes to somatic cell count (SCC) management. When working with dairy farmers, we often hear the statement “I don’t know how I woul...

In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the effects of human-animal interactions and management factors on udder health in 46 Swiss dairy herds living in loose-housing systems on farms that participated in the Swiss dairy farm network "pro-Q." The human-animal relationship was measured by observing milkers' behavior, cows' behavior during milking, and cows' avoidance distance in the barn. M...

Students in Reproductive Management (a senior-level course with approximately 20 to 50 students per semester) at the University of Missouri-Columbia are required to participate in a simulation exercise that is designed to improve reproductive efficiency in a beef herd. During a simulated 5-yr period, students must 1) improve reproductive efficiency in a beef cow-herd through implementation of r...

Animal health and nutrition can have significant impacts on beef cattle herds. If the nutrition, health or husbandry of the herd is compromised there will be adverse consequences with accompanying economic losses. The number one health concern in beef cattle production is respiratory disease commonly referred to as BRD or Bovine respiratory disease. The number one production concern for cow cal...

It has long been our view that improvements in gilt development programs can lead to major improvements in breeding herd efficiency. Whether gilts are reared in ‘in-house’ gilt multiplication systems, or supplied by a breeding company, available data suggest that the proper selection and management of replacement gilts has an impact on lifetime non-productive days (NPD). As discussed later, we ...

An observational study was conducted to quantify the effects of management practices on reproductive performance and disorders of beef cows. The study population consisted of 44 randomly selected Colorado cow-calf herds monitored for disease and reproductive events as part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System. The managers of the herds were surveyed with a standardized questionnaire ...

Growing pearl millet and cowpea in combination with raising ruminant livestock is widely practised in the Sahel. In this farming system, livestock feeding depends mostly on rangeland, fallows and cropland grazing. Nutritional constraints to grazing ruminants stem primarily from feed scarcity and seasonal fluctuations in feed supply associated with low rainfall and poor soil fertility. Low feed ...

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) infection causes a devastating economic impact to the swine industry. Active surveillance is routinely conducted in many swine herds to demonstrate freedom from PRRSv infection. The design of efficient active surveillance sampling schemes is challenging because optimum surveillance strategies may differ depending on infection status, h...