Reasons for culling of first-calf heifers in Saxony

The milk production in Saxony is based on large farms (> 250 cows/farm) with employed pay workers; in opposite to the family-owned farms in Western Germany. The production level is very high and also surpasses the average in the North-West German farms. During the first using year the culling rate is over a quarter of the replacement cows. Udder illnesses are the main culling reason; primarily in the first lactation third. The general herd management and the general prophylaxis and Therapy are more important for a low culling rate than the production level of farms. In the future the animal-individual supervision requires a higher attention in the complete business management on the farms. Milk protein: milk fat-ratio as well as the milk cell number are important animal-individual indicators here.

Vollversion deutsch