Economics of disease occurrence and prevention on California dairy farms: A report and evaluation of data collected for the national animal health monitoring system, 1986–87

Abstract

A stratified random sample of 43 dairy herds in California was studied for 1 year as a component of the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS). Costs associated with clinical disease and disease prevention were determined and the resulting costs extrapolated to the entire California dairy industry. Cost of disease for herds in our study was $1.749 million (U.S. dollars), or $111.68 per cow-year; 52% of the cost was the result of culling of affected animals, and 24% was due to animal death. Calf disease represented 4% of the cost of all disease. Diarrhea and pneumonia were responsible for 86% of calf disease costs. Cow disease accounted for 92% of the total disease costs. Clinical mastitis and infertility accounted for 53% of cow diseas costs. Cost of disease prevention for the 43 herds in our study was $171 616, or $10.72 per cow-year. Most of the prevention cost was due to purchase of drugs and biologics. The estimated cost of clinical disease and disease prevention extrapolated to all California dairies was $118 million for the 1-year period studied. Clinical mastitis and infertility were estimated to cost California dairy farmers $52 million. The cost of disease and disease prevention was 6.6% of the value of milk production in the state of California. These estimates were based on observed clinical disease and did not account for the cost of subclinical disease. Recommendations are presented to improve the value of the NAHMS data to industry.