We use cookies on our website. Some are necessary for the operation of the website. You can also allow cookies for statistical purposes. You can adjust the data protection settings or agree to all cookies directly.
Data Protection Declaration
Imprint
Animal health, hygiene and biosecurity in German dairy farms - a prevalence study
Project
Project code: 2814HS007
Contract period: 01.03.2016
- 31.08.2019
Budget: 1,328,946 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
A case control study performed in Northwest Germany with the aim to investigate associations between Clostridium botulinum and chronic disease problems in dairy herds (FKZ 2810HS005) led to the conclusion that deficits in the areas of husbandry, feeding, hygiene and management are possible risk factors for the occurrence of chronic, often unspecific diseases. There is reason to assume that the observed deficitis are not only present in Northwest Germany but on the national level. Therefore, a national representative prevalence study in dairy herds will be performed in Germany in order to document the current situation with regard to husbandry, hygiene, feeding, management, biosecurity and animal health in dairy cows and the respective young stock. The first goal is to describe the animal health in dairy cow operations under the current situation in Germany and to identify risk factors for common diseases. The study will be performed in three German regions with intensive dairying (North: Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, northwest of Northrhine Westfalia; East: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia; South: Bavaria). On the basis of the obtained data, a national, regional and farm type specific (e.g. prevailing breeds, farm size) description of examined effect variables in the context of the current husbandry systems will be performed. The consideration of management and animal related indicators allows conclusions about animal health, animal welfare and biosecurity in dairy cow operations in Germany. Based on these results, the second goal is to develop action plans for professional groups working in the dairy industry (e.g. farmers, veterinarians, claw trimmer, other consultants). These should serve as a basis for discussions for policy makers. In addition, the action plans are the basis to develop appropriate intervention studies with special emphasis on agricultural sociological aspects of councelling. The study protocol is as follows: 1. Define the most importance health disturbances and the available indicators for documentation 2. Selection of the study population 3. Determine the procedure of farm recruitment 4. Farm visits (one visit per farm) with examinations on herd and individual animal level, sampling and farm inspection in order to evaluate husbandry, feeding, hygiene, management and biosecurity in dairy cow and young stock areas 5. Detection of animal health indicators 6. Laboratory examinations (bulk tank: antibodies against parasites; silage samples: chemical and microbiological condition) 7. Statistical epidemiological analyses 8. Development of action plans The farm investigations in the three regions North, East and South will be performed by three project groups (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Free University of Berlin, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich) according to a standardized and consistent protocol.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal health
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Department of cloven-hoofed animals
