Veterinary Nutrition Service as Part of a Total Dairy Herd Health Program

Delivery of nutrition services as part of a Total Dairy Herd Health Program will be discussed, emphasizing the economic effects on the dairyman and veterinarian. The reader is directed to other sources for details of ration formulation 1 and program delivery. Total Dairy Herd Health ServiceA. Component programsI. Optimum Nutrition2. Mastitis control3. Reproductive efficiency4. Optimum ventilation and housing5. Parasite control6. Infectious disease control7. Sick animal medicine and surgeryB. AdministrationIn order for a herd health program to be effective we believe the veterinarian should have, at least, major input and, and best, total control over all the above areas. The inter-relationships among the areas require the attention of one supervisory person for total success.C. GoalThe goal of our Total Herd Health Program is very simply stated: "The most milk with the least cost per day of life." We have failed to find any of the component goals which cannot be encompassed in this overall goal. The goal of the veterinarian is to be associated with maximizing profits, not merely minimizing losses.