László Ózsvári, Fruzsina Tóth and György Gábor
Szent István Univ., Fac, of Vet. Sci., Budapest, Res. Inst. Anim. Breeding, Herceghalom, Hungary

The financial importance of reproduction management in dairy herds

Calculations are shown to quantify the annual herd level losses due to reproductive failures. The examinations were performed at 2 Hungarian large-scale (Herd1: 1150; Herd 2: 1100 cows) Holstein-Friesian dairy farms with average output and fertility parameters. The method of partial budgeting was used in the calculations. The data of cows calved in 2001 and the agro-economic conditions of the year 2001 were taken into consideration to quantify the losses. Considering both net milk receipts and calf sales, an average calving interval of 11 months (<350 day) and of 12 months looks optimal economically, respectively. The annual losses due to reproductive failures were 194 and 276 EUR per cow; therefore, the annual economic losses due to reproductive disorders are to be 160-320 EUR per cow in Hungary. The average cost of an open day was 2.5 and 2.65 EUR. The annual losses of reproductive failure on herd level exceeded 223000 EUR and 303000 EUR, what could cover 9-11% of farm's income. Considering the results, it can be concluded that the reproductive disorders are responsible for the highest losses in the Hungarian dairies. Prevention of all expected losses owing to reproductive failure can not be available due to its high cost. However, reducing the calving interval with 10 days would yield 22400 EUR increase in total return in the Herd1, and 25200 EUR in Herd2. Reducing the calving interval with 1 cycle (21 days) would result in 47200 EUR and 53200 EUR increase in total return, respectively.