An economic model to calculate farm-specific losses due to bovine respiratory disease in dairy heifers

This paper describes a personal-computer-based model estimating the economi c losses associated with clinical bovine respiratory disease in replacement heifers raised on individual dairy farms. The model is based on the partia l-budgeting technique, and calculates the losses for two types of the disea se separately: calf pneumonia and a seasonal outbreak. Model input includes farm-specific data such as the incidence of bovine respiratory disease, pr ices, and effects of the disease on the heifers' productivity. The input da tabase was linked directly with the economic model. For all input parameter s, default values used are available to the user and can be modified easily . Losses considered by the model include treatment expenditures and costs ass ociated with increased mortality, increased premature culling, reduced grow th, reduced fertility and reduced milk production in first lactation. Uncer tainty is taken into account for parameters related to disease incidence, m ortality and culling. Basic calculations for a typical Dutch dairy farm with 60% of the heifers ( <3 months) affected, indicated total annual losses due to pneumonia average //ES//NOTATION image formal/ENE 31.2 per heifer present on the farm (range E 18.4-57.1). The estimated losses for one seasonal outbreak with heifers up to 15-months old affected were E 27.0 per heifer present grange E 17.2-4 3.1). For both BRD types, the model's outcome was most sensitive to the num ber of heifers affected. Most of the parameters that had a major impact on the total losses were related to treatment or to the effects on the heifers ' productivity. The model is user-friendly and flexible, and can be used as an interactive tool by farmers and veterinarians in the (economic) decision-making process regarding on-farm prevention and control of bovine respiratory disease. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.