Standardization of health data. ICAR guidelines including health key

Systematic improvement of animal health requires knowledge about the status quo and reliable measures to characterize it. In dairy herds, health monitoring has gained importance to ensure sustainable and cost-efficient milk production in accordance with public expectations. In this context, standardized recording of health data is essential for comparability and interpretability of health-related analyses, implying the need for generally accepted and clear guidelines. To assist implementation of health monitoring and convey harmonization, the ICAR Functional Traits Working Group has compiled the ICAR guidelines for Recording, Evaluation and Genetic Improvement of Health Traits, which were approved in June 2012. Disease diagnoses and observations of impaired health can be classified as direct health data, providing the basis for targeted approaches to improve the animal health status. Data sources need to be taken into account because of their impact on information content and specificity. The key for health data recording is characterized by a hierarchical structure that makes it possible to record on different levels of detail and includes comprehensive recording options with coverage of all organ systems and types of diseases. Important features are compatibility with other recording systems and broad usability as a reference regardless of specific intentions and contexts of health data collection. Input can range from very specific diagnoses of veterinarians to very general diagnoses or observations by producers, and the unique coding of clearly defined health incidents minimizes the risk of misinterpretations and facilitates analyses of different types of health data. The overall quality and success of health monitoring is substantially influenced byappropriate use of standards and available recording tools, implying the need for tailored support particularly in the implementation phase. In integrated concepts, specific qualifications of professions can be used synergistically to further standardize recording of health data and thereby benefit efficiency of animal health improvement on farm and at the population level.