Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Costs of veterinary services and vaccines/drugs used for prevention and treatment of diseases in 60 Tennessee cow-calf operations (1987-1988).
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1991
- Authors:
- New, J C
- Affiliation:
- Department of Environmental Practice
Plain-English summary
In a study of 60 cow-calf farms in Tennessee from 1987 to 1988, it was found that veterinary services made up 4% of the total costs related to animal diseases, while 2.3% was spent on medications for sick cows. Most of the veterinary expenses were linked to reproductive issues, particularly complications during birth, which cost about $0.69 per cow each year. For medications, the highest costs were for treating respiratory illnesses, averaging $0.37 per cow annually. Preventive care, including pregnancy checks, was also significant, with the most expensive preventive service costing $0.62 per cow annually, and the majority of preventive drug costs going towards preventing parasites. Overall, the study highlighted that beef producers see veterinarians as key sources of information for diagnosing and treating sick animals, but they feel less confident about their knowledge in areas like herd management and nutrition.
Abstract
Four percent of the total cost of disease in 60 Tennessee cow-calf herds in 1987 to 1988 was attributable to veterinary services, and 2.3% was attributable to the purchase of drugs to treat sick animals. When producers spent money on therapeutic veterinary services, it was most often attributable to diseases of the reproductive system ($0.69/cow annually), especially dystocia ($0.51/cow annually). When drugs were used therapeutically, the most was spent on products to treat respiratory tract disease ($0.37/cow annually). The cost of preventive veterinary services accounted for 8.8% of the total cost of preventive actions. Pregnancy examinations (considered here as a preventive action) was the most costly preventive service ($0.62/cow annually). The cost of drugs and biologicals used to prevent disease accounted for 69.4% of the total cost of preventive actions, with drugs to prevent intestinal and external parasites being the most costly ($7.79/cow annually). These figures are based on cow-calf herds randomly selected by use of a 2-stage, stratified plan. Herds were visited once a month for 1 year. Results of this study support other work that showed that beef producers perceive veterinarians as primary sources of information on diagnosis and treatment of sick animals and on reproduction/breeding, but less knowledgeable or cost effective in the areas of animal/herd management, feed nutrition, and agribusiness/economics.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2061146/