EFFECT OF PARTICIPATION BY VETERINARIANS IN A DAIRY PRODUCTION MEDICINE CONTINUING-EDUCATION COURSE ON MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCEOF CLIENT HERDS

Objective - To determine what effect participation by veterinarians in a dairy production medicine continuing education course would have on herd performance and management practices of client herds. Design - C ohort study. Sample Population - 56 dairy herds for which health servi ces were provided by veterinarians enrolled in a dairy production medi cine continuing education program (treatment herds) and 97 dairy herds for which health services were provided by veterinarians not enrolled in the program (control herds). Procedure - Management practices were evaluated every year for 4 years (1991 through 1994) by mail question naire. Herd performance was evaluated by reviewing Dairy Herd improvem ent Association records. Results - Mean age at first calving for the t reatment herds decreased by 2 months over the course of the study. At the end oi the study, treatment herds were 3 limes more likely to revi ew herd performance with their veterinarian and monitor heifer growth, and 2 times more likely to set goals and conduct adequate estrus dete ction than were control herds. Clinical Implications - Effective profe ssional continuing education in production medicine can have a positiv e impact on health and performance of client herds.