DAIRY-HERD REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MANAGEMENT - EVALUATING DAIRY-HERD REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE .2.

Accurate and manageable recording systems play an integral role in progressive dairy reproductive and production programs. Replacement rearing involves most of the general herd health and production control programs instituted for the milking herd: nutrition, reproduction, vaccinations, housing, and calving management. Information about heifer-rearing performance is usually generated from such records as the farm's daily log, individual calf records, or Dairy Herd Improvement Association records. Recent developments in dairy herd management software, however, include heifer data management and reporting capabilities. With the adoption of electronic data management systems by more dairy producers and other segments of the dairy industry, access to and evaluation of information on reproductive performance are less tedious for veterinarians who wish to provide informed herd management information to clients.