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Intensified Dairy Operations and Their Effect on Periparturient Diseases and Postpartum Reproduction

Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010

ABSTRACT

The title of this paper assumes a casual retionship between intensive dairy operations and periparturient problems. The validity of this assumption rests, in part, on how we define an intensive operation and factors included in such a definition.

An intensive program usually means an increase in animals/unit of space, an increase in nutritional input, an increase in production per animal unit, and, therefore, an increased labor efficiency. This last characteristic usually suggests that one worker can take care of a greater number of animals and may decrease attention to the individual animal.

Perhaps one should first consider whether there is an increased incidence of certain periparturient diseases such as hypocalcemia, ketosis, displaced abomasum and metritis, and postpartum infertility associated with such enterprises. Although specific data are scarce, there seems to be general agreement that there has been an increase in some of these conditions during the past few years. There has been a multitude of papers on the problems of postpartum fertility and possible causes.