Table 1 On-farm questionnaire: overview on the data collected on the farms
From: Mycoplasma bovis infections in Swiss dairy cattle: a clinical investigation
Topic | Description |
|---|---|
Cow husbandry | Housing system (free-stall vs. tie-stall), lying area (rubber mats with saw dust, rubber mats with chopped straw, straw bedding, chalk-straw bedding, other), flooring (rubber mats, concrete, slatted floor, other), |
Calf husbandry | Group housing vs. individual igloos, bedding type (deep straw bedding vs, other bedding), separate from lactating cows (yes vs. no) |
Heifer rearing | Own replacements (yes vs. no), rearing on another farm (yes vs. no) |
Communal alpine pasturing | Heifers only (yes vs. no), cows and heifers (yes vs. no) |
Feeding management, ration of lactating cows | Changes in the ration within the last 3Â months (yes vs. no), changes in feeding management (yes vs. no) |
Quality of feed fed to cows | Smell (aromatic vs. moldy, alcoholic), heating of silage (by hand), visual inspection (presence of molds), changes in feed quality within the last 3Â months (yes vs. no) |
Feeding management of calves | Bucket feeding (individual bucket vs. one bucket for several calves), automatic feeding system (yes vs. no), feeding mastitis milk to calves (yes vs. no) |
Milking system | Type of milking system (parlor vs. bucket milk unit vs. pipeline system), brand of milking system, changes in the milking system within the last 3Â months (yes vs. no) |
Milking routine | Grouping of mastitic and susceptible cows, milking routine (order and implementation of individual steps), teat cleaning material (no cleaning, disinfectant towel, dry paper towel, wood wool, other), post milking teat disinfection, (yes vs no), changes in milking routine within the last 3Â months (yes vs. no) |
Animal movement | Number of purchased animals within the last 12Â months, sporadic transportations (<5 transportations per year), expositions (>5 movements per year), animal trade |
Overcrowding | All animals in one housing unit can lie down at the same time (yes vs. no), cubicle to cow ratio 1:1 or higher in loose housing systems (yes vs. no) |
Environmental factors | Temperature > 24°C (yes vs. no), building work in progress (yes vs. no) |
Concomitant disease in animals suffering from confirmed mycoplasmosis | Retained fetal membranes, hypocalcaemia, puerperal metritis, displacement of abomasum, primary ketosis, lameness caused by claw disorders |