UW Dairy Science Department Survey Focuses on Biosecurity
US - The larger Wisconsin dairy operations get, the more precautions they tend to take when it comes to biosecurity. That's according to a survey conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Dairy Science.
21 December 2006
1 minute read
According to DDS Veterinarian Pam Ruegg, over 1,100 producers were asked about their opinions and practices about biosecurity and animal wellbeing--of which diagnostic testing and examination of purchased cattle increased among those who had more cows.
The survey indicated that 80-percent of respondents generally believed that they used the right amount of antibiotics, but the use of written treatment protocols also increased in proportion to herd size. Almost half of the producers indicated that they purchased cattle during the past year, however few performed diagnostic testing of those cattle.
Meanwhile, producers from large and medium herds reported much higher usage of computerized and paper records compared with producers from smaller herds. Almost 93-percent believed that Johne's disease was an important issue for the dairy industry, but only a tenth of them had enrolled in the official Wisconsin control program.
Source: Wisconsin Ag
