EFFECT OF PARTICIPATION BY VETERINARIANS IN A DAIRY PRODUCTION MEDICINE CONTINUING-EDUCATION COURSE ON MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCEOF CLIENT HERDS
Da. Moore et al., EFFECT OF PARTICIPATION BY VETERINARIANS IN A DAIRY PRODUCTION MEDICINE CONTINUING-EDUCATION COURSE ON MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCEOF CLIENT HERDS, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 209(6), 1996, pp. 1086-1089
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.