Investigating Herd Problems and Production on Dairy Farms

Abstract

Herd level assessments of productivity and health are a normal part of dairy practice. Many veterinarians undertake informal herd investigations when they discuss herd management issues with the farmer during herd visits. The objective of these informal herd investigations is no different than the objective of a formal herd investigation. After identification and confirmation of a problem, the primary objective of the veterinarian should be to focus on control of the current situation. When emergency situations are under control the next step is to identify key determinants of the problem. Finally, and most importantly, plans need to be put in place to prevent future problems. Epidemiologic techniques that have been developed for outbreak investigations can be modified and used to direct the investigation toward resolution.^1,2,3,4