INVESTIGATIONS ON FUNCTIONAL TRAITS IN SIMMENTAL-2 - INCIDENCE OF DISEASES IN GERMAN SIMMENTAL COWS

In order to get information on disease incidences in German Simmental, health data were collected from 104 Simmental farms in Upper Bavaria from 1987 to 1990. Generalised linear models with complementary log-lo g link-function and binomial errors were used for statistical analysis , taking censoring into account, Age was revealed to be of major impac t on incidence rates. Age-specific risks for ten different diseases ar e derived for later use in economic modelling as well as average risks per calving interval and per cow and year. When averaged over all age classes, incidences per cow and year were highest for clinical mastit is (14.6%), retained placenta(8%), metritis (10.8%) and various ovulat ory disorders (25.5%). Incidences of claw disorders (7.4%) and other l eg problems(5%) were similar to the incidence of milk fever (6.7%). (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.