2.2 Dairy Herd Management

Abstract

The Unit's work on herd monitoring was motivated by the need for a system to record data for a Study of Methods of Improving Oestrus Detection (Esslemont, 1973). These interests were shared with Dr R. S. Morris, then at Melbourne University, who made available a suite of computer programs for analyzing dairy herd health and fertility data which suited the immediate needs (Morris, Blood, Cannon, Cannon and Williamson, 1978). Out of this generous co-operation has evolved the ‘MELBREAD’ Herd Health and Fertility Reporting Scheme, the more comprehensive ‘DANDAIR’ system, the ‘YOUNGSTOCK’ system for recording heifers, and now ‘DAISY’ with which data processing is being decentralized to farms and veterinary practices. We are also starting to develop similar systems for intensive pig enterprises.This paper presents background information on the development of herd monitoring and a description of computerized record systems for the dairy herd developed by VEERU, especially the ‘DAISY’ software package for small computer systems.An estimate of the breakdown of fixed and variable costs on a per cow basis for a UK dairy herd is shown in Table 2.2.1a and typical good performance levels are shown in Table 2.2.1b. These figures show the need for very high technical performance in order to produce truly economic results. They also show that costs per cow for improved management information systems (at £5/cow/year) can be kept below 1% of turnover.