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Key performance indicators used by dairy consultants during the evaluation of reproductive performance in a first visit
Armengol, R.; Fraile, L.; Bach, A.
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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to (1) describe the KPI that consultants specialized in dairy reproduction use to assess the reproductive status of a conventional dairy farm in a first visit, (2) categorize the different KPI according to their importance to the consultants, and (3) identify primary KPI that could be universally used in first visit to a conventional dairy farm.
Materials and methods: An online survey was sent world- wide and answered by consultants specialized in dairy reproduction (n=49) to find out the most suitable parameters in a first visit approach. The survey was comprised of 190 questions, 178 of them rated from 0 (irrelevant) to 10 (maximum importance) points. The questions were divided into 5 sections: 1) consultant and farm model, 2) general data of the farm, 3) cow reproduction, 4) postpartum and metabolic disease, and 5) heifer reproduction. The median, range, and 95% confidence interval were determined for each question. Afterwards, a multivariate analysis, using between-group linkage via Ward ́s hierarchical clustering was conducted to generate clusters of consultants according to their response pattern. Lastly, a Chi-square test was conducted to assess the association between years of experience of the consultant and farm size within the clusters generated in each section of the questionnaire.
Results: The majority of the consultants considered 27 parameters to be highly important to analyze in a first visit.
The parameters that consultants specialized in dairy repro- duction mostly consider as primary KPI are: General data of the farm: Culling rate (%), pregnant cows (%), average DIM (d), cows culled for reproductive reason (%), 305-d yield (Kg), herd status for BVDV (present/absent) and % of 1st lactation cows in the herd. Cows’ reproduction: First service CR (%), overall pregnancy rate (%), voluntary waiting period (d), CR (%), heat detection rate (%), days open (d), cows not pregnant >200DIM (%), 21d. pregnancy rate (%), CR of the first service in 1st lactation cows, CR of the first service in multiparous cows (%), CR of the 1st lactation cows (%), CR of the multiparous cows (%), calving to first service interval (d), CR synchronized cows (%) and percent conceiving of served (%).
Heifers’ reproduction: Heat detection rate (%), CR (%), CR of the first service (%), age at first calving (d) and heifers culled for reproductive reason (%).
Conclusion: Consultants never use only one single primary KPI to evaluate any of the presented sections, but they use several of them (in variable quantitative range). Despite the presence of a great number of parameters likely to be KPI to assess the reproductive performance of a farm, consultants clearly prefer parameters that provide information about heat detection, fertility and when the pregnancy is achieved regarding to the production cycle of a dairy cow.
Consultants also show high interest in getting a general overview of milk production, the farming efficiency and the heifer rearing process but the farm size and the years of experience of the consultant is other factor influencing in the type and numbers of parameters chosen to be KPI.
The parameters rated with the highest importance (rate 10) that could be considered for an easy, fast and universal use in a first visit to assess the reproductive status were: First service CR (%), overall pregnancy rate (%) and 21d pregnancy rate (%) for cows and age at first calving (d) for heifers.
Parameters that monitor postpartum and metabolic diseases are not considered necessary to evaluate the reproduction performance of a farm in a first visit.
Keywords: survey analysis, dairy consultant, reproductive performance, first visit, KPI.
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About
Affiliation of the authors at the time of publication
Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain;
Marlex, Barcelona, Spain.
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