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Cost-benefit analysis of ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis in dairy ewes in Greece: a simulation study.
Valergakis, G.E.; Kazana, P...
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Objectives: Ultrasonography is widely used for pregnancy diagnosis in sheep; however, in order to be cost-effective, pre-lambing feeding strategies must be accordingly adapted. The objective of this study was to perform a cost-benefit anal- ysis of ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis (UPD) in dairy ewes in Greece, based on different fertility outcomes and feeding management strategies.
Materials and Methods: This simulation study was based on available local milk recording schemes’ data. For 100 ewes entering the milking period and after accounting for barren ones, abortion during the last 2.5 months of gestation, losses at lambing and ewe culling at the end of the lamb-rearing period due to mastitis and low milk production, a flock size of 120 ewes at the beginning of the breeding period was considered. The 2.5-month breeding period was divided in 4 successive conception sub-periods (CSP), each lasting 17 days. Fertility outcomes included 2 levels of barren ewes (5% and 10%) and 3 conception patterns in respective CSPs: a) early (E: 82.5%- 17.5%-0.0%-0.0%), medium (M: 51.0%-41.0%-8.0%-0.0%) and delayed (D: 25.0%-35.0%-28.0%-12.0%). For the simulation, UPD was performed twice, 45 days after the start of the breeding season and 30 days after its end; pregnancy status and number of fetuses would therefore be established for all ewes.
At the first UPD visit, all ewes would be examined while at the second one, only those previously found empty or dubious (10% of positives). Each UPD visit was charged 20€ plus 0.75€ per ewe examined, resulting in total expenses of 140€, 155€ and 180€, for the 3 conception patterns, respectively. Barren ewes were removed from the simulated flocks immediately after the second UPD visit and no feed was allocated to them thereafter, nor any expense on preventive health management (vaccinations, treatments for parasites etc; 1.5€ per ewe) was considered. Pregnant ewes of all fertility outcomes were virtually allocated in either 2 or 3 feeding groups. When allocated in 2 groups, and for the 3 conception patterns, these consisted of: a) E, ewes conceiving at the first and second CSP, b) M, ewes conceiving at the first and second+third CSP and c) D, ewes conceiving at the fisrt+second and third+fourth CSP. When allocated in 3 groups: a) E, ewes conceiving at the first CSP bearing a single lamb, those conceiving at the first CSP bearing twin lambs and those conceiving at the sec- ond CSP, b) M, ewes conceiving at the first, second and third CSP, and c) D, ewes conceiving at the fisrt+second, third and fourth CSP.
The feeding plan included a maintenance period (starting from the second UPD until 6 weeks before presumed lambing), and a 3-period step-up pre-lambing program each lasting 2 weeks as proposed by INRA-2019. Rations were formulated according to INRA-2019 recommendations using alfalfa hay, wheat straw, corn grain, wheat bran, soybean meal and a mineral/vitamin supplement. Cost of maintenance, step- 1, step-2 and step-3 rations (for ewes carrying twin lambs) were 0.24, 0.29, 0.36 and 0.44€, per ewe per day, respec- tively. For conception pattern E, cost for single-lamb carrying ewes were 0.29, 0.33 and 0.39€, for step-1, step-2 and step-3 rations, respectively.
When combining CSPs, feeding of step-3 ration started with the earliest lambing ewes and lasted until the end of this sub-group’s lambing period. All the above fertility scenarios were compared to identical ones with no UPD and no culling of barren ewes; the start of the 3-period step-up feeding program for all ewes was based on the starting date of the breeding period and the step-3 ration was fed to all ewes until they lambed. Costs were calculated accordingly. Results are reported as differences per 100 ewes between UPD and no pregnancy diagnosis scenarios.
Results: Net benefit of UPD for the E pattern with 2 feeding management groups was 200€ and 480€, for 5% and 10% barren ewes, respectively. Forming 3 groups would increase benefit to 240€ and 530€, respectively. For conception pat- tern M, net benefit was 300€/580€ and 330€/610€, respective- ly. For conception pattern D, net benefit was 240€/460€ and 510€/760€, respectively.
Conclusion: Ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis is cost-effective when results are used to adapt grouping and feeding management. When conception is delayed, the formation of 3 feeding groups is highly recommended.
Keywords: Ultrasonography, pregnancy diagnosis, sheep.
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About
Affiliation of the authors at the time of publication
Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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