The main objective on sheep and goat farms is to optimize animal production, and data analysis plays a fundamental role in achieving this goal.
In the interview with HIPRA Stats, we continue to investigate the importance of data, this time focusing on disease prevention and control, so as to ensure better animal health.
Our goal: to optimize animal production
The HIPRA Stats team emphasizes the key role that data processing plays in:
– Identifying risk factors that reduce our efficiency.
– Identifying strengths that help us improve.
Disease prevention and control:
Data analysis helps establish health indicators that allow us to monitor herds and quickly detect any emerging problems.
A good example of this is mastitis. Using data from the Dairy Cattle Improvement Program, we can set somatic cell count (SCC) thresholds to detect new infections, chronic animals, recovery or cull rates, etc.
Early detection helps prevent the spread of disease and minimizes losses, contributing to better profitability
Reduction of antibiotic use:
With the right data we can identify the critical points associated with animal health that would lead us to increase the antibiotic consumption.
With this information, specific prevention programs can be implemented, management and biosecurity practices improved, and their effectiveness monitored.
Data analysis can help significantly reduce antibiotic use
By reducing the use of antibiotics, more sustainable practices can be ensured, such as preventing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, while the profitability of the farm can be also be optimized.
Conclusions
– To optimize production and ensure good profitability, complex and appropriate decisions applicable to each situation have to be made.
– Data collection, analysis and interpretation will help us be the best way to achieve this, since this will provide an objective and detailed overview.
Identifying risks and strengths guides us in making decisions to improve the farm’s efficiency
Article written by:
Tania Perálvarez Puerta. Global Product Manager, Small Ruminants Franchise – HIPRA
