Insights into udder health and intramammary antibiotic usage on Irish dairy farms during 2003-2010

Table 7 Estimated coverage of dry cow therapy (DCT) in Ireland during 2010, based on DCT sales collated by GfK Kynetec

			Explanation, assumptions
i.	Approximate number of dairy cows (2010)	1,000,000	Includes all milking cows (lactation 1+)
ii.	Approximate number eligible for DCT	800,000	i. minus (cows in final lactation), assume 5 lactations. DCT is not administered to yet-to-calve heifers
iii.	Number of dry cow tubes sold (2010)	2,522,500	As collated by GfK Kynetec
iv.	Total number of dry cow tubes sold	2,967,647	Assuming iii. represents 85% of all DCT sales
v.	Estimated DCT coverage	92.7%^a	Assuming a single tube per quarter, four quarters per cow

a. This figure would be 98.5% or 87.6% if GfK Kynetec data represents 80% or 90% of national DCT sales, respectively

ISSN: 2046-0481