Medycyna Wet. 67 (9), 618-621, 2011
| J. Olechnowicz, J.M. Jaśkowski |
| Reasons for culling and occurrence of lameness related to culling and economic loss productivity of dairy cows |
| The review presents reasons for culling of dairy cows, focusing on clinical lameness and economic loss production in cows affected by lameness. Culling of cows is a technique leading to herd improvement and potentially results in increased profits or reduced costs by replacing sick or non-pregnant cows. The reasons for culling are generally voluntary, for example poor producers, while involuntary culls were those culled due to the occurrence of mastitis, extreme lameness or poor reproduction and/or death. Culling rates in dairy herds vary, ranging from 20 to 35% per year. The most common reasons for culling in dairy cows in the herds were diseases such as mastitis, reproductive diseases, and clinical lameness. Many others factors, e.g. parity, lactation stage, reproductive performance, health, season, milk yield and cows’ welfare, also influence the decision to cull a cow. A negative effect of lameness influences a decrease in milk yield, fertility, and an increase in the risk of culling. The cost of lameness comprised 40% resulting from milk loss, 26% from decreased fertility and 34% from treatment costs. Many studies reported an increasing risk of culling for lame cows with hoof diseases, especially sole ulcers; however, some study indicated that the effect of lameness on culling is not clear-cut, because there is little information in literature on reasons to cull cows and particularly e.g. the interaction of reproductive performance and the incidence of mastitis or lameness. Hence, the decision to cull a cow is complicated and notably dependent on parity, milk production, fertility, and health of cows. |
| Keywords: cow, culling, lameness, economic loss, productivity. |