Abstract

The aim of this study was to find herd-related factors associated with average longevity in Swedish dairy herds. Herds with short or long (bottom or top quartile) total life (from birth, TL, 841 and 839 herds) or productive life (from first calving, PL, 799 and 821 herds) were chosen. A logistic regression model was used to estimate associations between herd type and herd-related factors. Large herds and herds increasing in size by more than 50% were less likely to have long PL. High average milk yield was not a risk factor for short PL, but herds with the lowest yield were more likely to be long PL herds. These herds had lower estimated breeding values for milk, most likely due to a slower herd turnover rate. A high proportion of cows culled early in first lactation had a large effect on the probability of being a short PL herd.

Keywords

Dairy cow; survival; risk factor; productive life; total life

Published in

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Science
2016, Volume: 66, number: 2, pages: 92-98
Publisher: Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles

SLU Authors

• Strandberg, Erling

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Emanuelson, Ulf

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science
Genetics and Breeding
Other Veterinary Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2016.1221986

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79644