Abstract
Differences in ketosis and clinical mastitis rates, mean somatic cell counts (SCC) and reproductive performance scores (fertility status index = FS-index) between herds housed in free stall (n = 533) and tie stall (n = 59) barns were measured in relation to management and environmental factors in a retrospective cohort study of Norwegian dairy farms with automatic grain feeding systems. Herds with tie stalls were found to have a higher clinical mastitis rate, (61.6 cases per 100 cow-years versus 46.4 cases per 100 cow-years (p<0.01)); a significantly higher proportion of herds with ketosis, (relative risk = 1.59, (p<0.01)); and a lower mean fertility status index, (67.3 versus 82.8 (p<0.01)). No significant difference in mean SCC was found between the 2 groups of dairies (p = 0.32). Large herds had higher Loge geometric mean SCC than small herds (p<0.01) and herds with high SCC had lower milk production than herds with low SCC (p<0.01). Herds that scored “very good” on cow cleanliness had significantly lower adjusted mean SCC than herds with scores of “average” or “good” (p<0.05). Herds in barns with a concrete floor had an adjusted mean number of cases of clinical mastitis of 51.4 per 100 cow-years, 14 per cent higher than herds in barns with rubber mats, litter bed or wood (45.2 cases per 100 cow-years) (p<0.05). Herds with high milk production level had higher FS-index than herds with low milk production (p<0.01). Lower disease rates and the higher fertility status measured in the present study favor free stall herds over tie stall herds.
Keywords: bovine, environment, management, cattle, housing, Norway.
Sammendrag
Forskjeller i frekvensen av ketose og klinisk mastitt, gjennomsnittlig celletall og fruktbarhetsstatus (FS-tall) mellom løsdriftsbesetninger og båsbesetninger ble undersøkt i relasjon til ulike miljøfaktorer blant Norske storfebesetninger med automatisk kraftfórtildeling.
Båsbesetningene hadde mer klinisk mastitt, (gjennomsnittlig 61.6 tilfeller pr 100 årskyr versus 46.4 tilfeller pr 100 årskyr (p<0.01)), høyere andel av besetninger med ketose, (relativ risk = 1.59, (p<0.01)), og lavere FS-tall, (gjennomsnittlig 67.3 versus 82.8 (p<0.01)). Ingen signifikant forskjell i gjennomsnittlig celletall ble funnet mellom de 2 gruppene av storfebesetninger (p = 0.32).
Store besetninger hadde høyere Log{ine} av geometrisk middel celletall enn små besetninger (p<0.01), og besetninger med høyt celletall hadde lavere melke-produksjon enn besetninger med lavt celletall (p<0.01). Besetninger med “svært godt” reinhold av kyme hadde signifikant lavere gjennomsnittlig celletall enn besetninger som hadde “middels” eller “godt” reinhold av kyme (p<0.05). Besetninger i fjøs med betong-golv hadde gjennomsnittlig 51.4 tilfeller av klinisk mastitt pr 100 årskyr, 14% mer enn besetninger med gummimatte, strøseng eller tre (45.2 tilfeller pr 100 årskyr (p<0.05)). Besetninger med høy melkeproduksjon hadde høyere FS-tall enn besetninger med lav melkeproduksjon (p<0.01).
Den lavere sjukdomfrekvens og høyere fruktbathets-status målt i denne undersøkelsen favoriserer løsdriftsbesetninger framfor båsbesetninger.
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