Table 1 Descriptive data of herds that took part in the study. Study herds are classified in relation to region, origin of stock bulls, enterprise, vasectomized bulls in the farm, calving season, herd size and vaccination status. The proportion of herds within bull categories (no bull, 1 bull, >1 bull) across herd classifications is shown below
Herd classification | No bull | 1 bull | >1 bull |
|---|---|---|---|
(n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) |
Overall proportion of herds | 23 % (70) | 36 % (109) | 41 % (126) |
Region | |||
Region 1 (99) | 29 % (29) | 33 % (33) | 37 % (37) |
Region 2 (206) | 20 % (41) | 37 % (76) | 43 % (89) |
Herds with all bulls were homebred | |||
All bulls homebred (68) | 35 % (24) | 65 % (44) | |
Purchased bulls (167) | 51 % (85) | 49 % (82) | |
Enterprise | |||
Dairy only (140) | 25 % (35) | 34 % (48) | 41 % (57) |
Mixed livestock species (164) | 21 % (35) | 37 % (60) | 42 % (69) |
Herds with vasectomized bulls | |||
Vasectomized bulls (41) | 20 % (8) | 81 % (33) | |
No Vasectomized (194) | 52 % (101) | 48 % (93) | |
Calving season | |||
Spring (265) | 21 % (56) | 35 % (92) | 44 % (117) |
Not spring (40) | 35 % (14) | 42 % (17) | 23 % (9) |
Size score | |||
31–65 cows (81) | 26 % (21) | 48 % (39) | 26 % (21) |
66–99 cows (98) | 27 % (26) | 39 % (38) | 35 % (34) |
> 99 cows (126) | 18 % (23) | 25 % (32) | 56 % (71) |
BVD Vaccine | |||
Yes (187) | 22 % (41) | 35 % (65) | 43 % (81) |
No (118) | 25 % (29) | 37 % (44) | 38 % (45) |
IBR Vaccine | |||
Yes (36) | 22 % (8) | 22 % (8) | 56 % (20) |
No (269) | 23 % (62) | 38 % (101) | 39 % (106) |