Effect of treatment of phantom cows with a progesterone-based synchrony programme

Chambers, G; O’Sullivan, M.; Compton, C.W.R.

doi:10.1080/00480169.2020.1745109

Cited by 2 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The economic return of phantom cow intervention was unsurprisingly highly dependent on the sensitivity of veterinary pregnancy diagnosis. A previous study in seasonal-calving Australian dairy herds estimated the sensitivity of ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis at 93.9% at a minimum of 35 d postinsemination (Shephard and Morton, 2018) and in the randomized controlled trial upon which the present study is based, the sensitivity of pregnancy diagnosis was not estimated, but we found that 7/189 (4%) phantom cows allocated to the control group were ≥35 d pregnant at the initial pregnancy diagnosis (Chambers et al, 2020). Although both of these studies found sensitivities below the 99.2% needed to achieve the economic break-even for phantom cow intervention, it is worth noting another study in non-seasonal-calving North American dairy cows found that the sensitivity of transrectal ultrasonography for diagnosing pregnancy increased from 74.5% at d 24 postinsemination to 100% at d 29 postinsemination (Romano et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Treating these cows with synchrony programs that abort pregnancy is likely to lead to significant economic costs given their reduced chance of re-conceiving by the end of mating, the delayed calving date if they re-conceive and resulting shorter lactation in the next season, and the potential loss of a valuable, AI-bred calf. In the previous randomized controlled trial, 5.8% of cows in the control group were subsequently determined to have been <35 d pregnant at the initial pregnancy diagnosis (status B; Chambers et al, 2020). Similarly, Cuttance and Mason (2015) found 6.4% of cows diagnosed as phantom cows were subsequently confirmed to have been <35 d pregnant at enrolment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…The decision-tree structure was informed by the design of a previously conducted randomized controlled trial in which veterinary-diagnosed phantom cows from 14 commercial dairy herds were randomly allocated to (Chambers et al, 2020). Phantom cows were defined as cows that were artificially inseminated ≤14 d after MSD, were not subsequently detected in estrus, and were diagnosed nonpregnant at a pregnancy diagnosis conducted 35 to 49 d postinsemination.…”

Section: Decision Tree Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reproductive data were collected from the cows to determine the proportion of cows that were pregnant at the end of the seasonal mating period and the enrolment to conception interval of pregnant cows. The study methodology is described in full by Chambers et al (2020), but a summary is provided in the Appendix.…”

Section: Decision Tree Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The intervention study is described in full by Chambers et al (2020). The aim was to determine the effect of a progesterone-based synchrony program on the daily hazard of conception and the odds of being pregnant at the end of the seasonal mating period in cows not observed in estrus within 35 to 49 d of insemination and that were diagnosed nonpregnant (phantom cows).…”

Section: Phantom Cow Intervention Study-supplementary Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of diagnosing and treating phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy herds

Chambers¹,

O’Sullivan²,

Gates

2020

Journal of Dairy Science

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The objective of this study was to explore the costeffectiveness of using a progesterone-based synchrony program to manage phantom cows on seasonal-calving dairy farms. Phantom cows were defined as cows that had been artificially inseminated ≤14 d after mating start date (MSD), were not subsequently detected in estrus, and were diagnosed nonpregnant at a pregnancy diagnosis conducted approximately 49 d after MSD. Decision-tree analysis was applied to data from a previous randomized controlled trial in which phantom cows (n = 378) from spring-calving dairy farms were randomly allocated to an untreated control group or were immediately treated with a 10-d progesteronebased synchrony program with fixed-time artificial insemination. The net economic return of treating all cows presented by the farmer for pregnancy diagnosis that were diagnosed nonpregnant was compared with no intervention. The net return was calculated per cow present at MSD because the decision trees followed all cows present at MSD through to mating end date to account for farmers inadvertently presenting ineligible cows for pregnancy diagnosis and possible treatment. Probabilities, costs, and benefits of reproductive outcomes were based on published data and expert opinion. The effects of key variables on the economic return were tested by sensitivity analysis. Phantom cow intervention delivered a net return of NZ$4.451 (at the time of the study, NZ$1 = US$0.6629) per cow present at MSD. The sensitivity of pregnancy diagnosis, the proportion of ineligible cows presented by the farmer for pregnancy diagnosis, and the prevalence of phantom cows were highly influential on the net economic return from phantom cow intervention. These findings suggest that treatment of phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy farms using a progesterone-based synchrony pro-gram is economically viable based on the current model assumptions. Accurate cow selection and pregnancy diagnosis are essential to success, and veterinarians and animal health advisors can improve the net economic return of intervention by selecting farms likely to have a higher prevalence of phantom cows based on the presence of observable risk factors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Decision Tree Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Decision Tree Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Phantom Cow Intervention Study-supplementary Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of diagnosing and treating phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy herds

Chambers¹,

O’Sullivan²,

Gates

2020

Journal of Dairy Science

Self Cite

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Reproductive Performance and Partial Budget Analysis of a Prostaglandin or a Modified Ovsynch Protocol in Autumn Calving Dairy Herds

Lindley

Willshire²,

Winden

2021

Animals

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In autumn calving dairy herds, treatment of cattle not observed in estrus prior to the breeding season is common. Routinely, a single prostaglandin or a modified Ovsynch (MOFT) protocol are used—without evidence of their relative effectiveness. This study compares the effects on conception, associated timing, and profitability of administering cows with prostaglandin or MOFT treatment. A hundred and ninety-two Holstein-Friesian cows from three herds without an observed estrus within 28-days before mating start date were randomly treated with d-cloprostenol (PGOD) or an 8-day MOFT protocol. The association of treatment and calving-breeding start-date interval (CBSI) on the risk of conception were investigated. Partial budget, sensitivity analysis, and Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess economic performance, identify critical input variables, and explore the effects of input uncertainties on model output. There was a significant association between MOFT treatment and conception during 21 and 84 days after mating start date, compared to PGOD. MOFT treatment was associated with a mean net benefit of £58.21 (sd £19.42) and £27.29 (sd £17.75) per cow for herds with a fixed or variable dry-off date, respectively. The relative profitability of an MOFT protocol is dependent on its effects on barren rate and herd dry-off strategy.

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Effect of treatment of phantom cows with a progesterone-based synchrony programme

Abstract: ANOVA tests of nested models with and without the variable are in bold, otherwise the p-values are Wald tests. cFriesian was defined as a cow ≥12/16 Friesian.

Cited by 2 publications

References 19 publications

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of diagnosing and treating phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy herds

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of diagnosing and treating phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy herds

Reproductive Performance and Partial Budget Analysis of a Prostaglandin or a Modified Ovsynch Protocol in Autumn Calving Dairy Herds

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