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Identification and Ranking of risk factors for somatic cell count economic penalty in 349 southern Belgium dairy farms
Theron, Léonard; Humblet, Marie-France; Delfosse, C. et al.
2009In Maillard, R.; Navetat, H. (Eds.) European buiatrics forum 2009
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Keywords :
mastitis; risk factors; dairy practices; somatic cells; epidemiology; odds-ratio; logistic regression
Abstract :
[en] In Belgium, the main economic penalty accounted for bovine milk quality is the bulk milk somatic cell count geometric mean over 3 months reaching more than 400,000 cells/ml. Yet, it is still difficult to make progress on udder health and milk quality because regional risks related to endemic farming practices are not broadly known. Hence, a first step in understanding specific udder health risks associated with herd management has to be a broad ecopathological survey. A random stratified sample of 349 dairy farms, representing 25% of producers registered for performance recording, was selected with a total of 16,000 cows. Thorough audits recording 400 farming practices were made in each farm by 2 different surveyors during milking. The practices were recorded across four categories: Herd structure, Housing, Milking practices and Herd Management (including Nutrition). Our chosen variable was the geometric mean of the herd composite somatic cell count from the last three months compared to the 400,000 cells/ml European threshold. The sample had a mean somatic cell count of 287,000 cells/ml following a normal distribution between 73,000 and 807,000 cells/ml. From 19 risk indicators identified through univariate logistic analysis (p<0.15), half were related to milking practices and 5 were underlined by significant odds-ratios (OR) found through multivariate logistic analysis (p<0.05). Therefore, it was found that cubicle housing had the least risk (OR= 0.59 compared with tightened stalls, OR= 0.42 compared with straw stalls); Presence of a calving pen (OR= 0.40), use of post-dipping (OR= 0.50) had a positive impact; whereas pre-dip had a negative impact in our study (OR= 3) though it was not clear if this routine was performed correctly. Stripping also had a bad impact on milk quality whether it was systematic (OR = 1.90) or occasional (OR = 2.43). It was also found that farms with poor milking liner hygiene had more trouble (OR = 2.34). The results were comparable to other ecopathological studies such as northern and southern American and European studies. This study is a prerequisite in operational veterinary advice in southern Belgium dairy farms, because it provides a cross-sectional study of dairy practices and states on major epidemiological risk factors in dairy management for this region.
Research center :
Service de Thériogénologie
Disciplines :
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Author, co-author :
Theron, Léonard ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département clinique des animaux de production (DCP) > Obstétr. et path. de la reprod. des équidés, rumin. et porcs
Humblet, Marie-France ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires > Epidémiologie et analyse des risques appl. aux sc. vétér.
Delfosse, C.;  Centre de Recherche Agronomiques - Gembloux > Département Productions et Nutrition animales
Remience, Virginie;  Centre de recherche Agronomique > Département Productions et Nutrition animales
Barthiaux-Thill, N.;  Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques > Département Productions et Nutrition animales
Froidmont, E.;  Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques > Département Productions et Nutrition animales.
Planchon, V.;  Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques > Gestion des données et Agrométéorologie. > Section Biométrie
Bertozzi, C.;  Association wallonne de l'élevage > Recherche et développement
Piraux, E.
Hanzen, Christian  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département clinique des animaux de production (DCP) > Obstétr. et path. de la reprod. des équidés, rumin. et porcs
Language :
English
Title :
Identification and Ranking of risk factors for somatic cell count economic penalty in 349 southern Belgium dairy farms
Alternative titles :
[fr] Identification et hiérarchisation des facteurs de risque de pénalité économique pour des concentration cellulaires élevées dans 349 fermes laitières en Wallonie
Publication date :
02 December 2009
Event name :
European Buiatrics Forum 2009
Event organizer :
Société française de buiatrie
Event place :
Marseille, France
Event date :
du 1 au 3 Décembre 2009
Audience :
International
Main work title :
European buiatrics forum 2009
Editor :
Maillard, R.
Navetat, H.
Publisher :
Société française de buiatrie, Toulouse, France
ISBN/EAN :
2-903623431
Peer reviewed :
Peer reviewed
Name of the research project :
RW D31-1115
Funders :
DGRNE - Région wallonne. Direction générale des Ressources naturelles et de l'Environnement [BE]
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