Over 90 procent of Danish milk cows are covered by mandatory veterinary advisory services. This is much greater than the law requires. This is because 900 herds have freely entered the agreement since the law was introduced 8 months ago.

Never before have so many milking cow herds been signed up to a systematic veterinary advisory service. 

More than 75 procent of the cow herds supplying milk and more than 90 procent of the Danish milk cows are now covered by a mandatory veterinary advisory service agreement, which was introduced on 1 July 2010. This is confirmed by numbers from the Knowledge Centre for Agriculture, Cattle Production Department.

This is a lot more than the law prescribes. The reason for this is that about 900 herds have chosen to take up the advisory service voluntarily, even although they have less than 100 adult animals or 200 young cattle which is the lower limit for the law requirement for the mandatory service agreement. This means that almost 3.750 cow herds have a veterinary advisory agreement today. 

Great possibility to improve veterinary status
- As so many herds now receive systematic veterinary advisory services we now have the possibility of improving veterinary status in the Danish cow herd” reports Henrik Læssøe Martin, Veterinary Surgeon, Cattle Production Department.

He furthermore emphasises that if farmers are to get the greatest benefit from the service agreement it is necessary that they obtain an optimal advisory service. Therefore the Knowledge Centre for Agriculture will work for strengthening the interdisciplinary cooperation between vets, cattle advisers, breeding advisers and other relevant technical personal that are involved with individual herds.

- Based on a number of positive experiences with interdisciplinary cooperation from a number of different projects we are convinced that this is the right way forward, says Henrik Læssøe Martin.

Improved animal welfare

The great idea behind the law on a mandatory veterinary advisory service is prevention rather than cure. The majority of herds have chosen a service model where the vet, through frequent visits, monitors different so-called “risk groups”, i.e. animals that are especially susceptible to infection – for example cows that have recently calved. Using this approach potential infection may be observed earlier and management measures taken earlier or treatment can be started earlier and thus more effectively.