Hit-and-miss fire brigade vet service no longer adequate for Irish dairy herds

IT is difficult to put a cost on metabolic diseases, but a Vet Ireland health planning document in 2005 estimated average costs per case of €105 for assisted calving, €312 for milk fever, €392 for retained afterbirth, €190 for ketosis and 515 for displaced abomasum.

These cost estimates include veterinary expenses, loss of milk, reproductive difficulties and replacements.

UCD research on farms indicates that the average cost of one mastitis case can be as high as €260. This includes lower yields, milk withdrawal, treatment, price penalties and increased culling.