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Table 2 Characteristics of the study herds and target populations (Finland, Norway and Sweden) or all dairy herds (Denmark)

From: Completeness of the disease recording systems for dairy cows in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with special reference to clinical mastitis

 

Denmark

Finland

Norway

Sweden

 

Study herdsa

All dairy herdsa

Study herds

Target population

Study herds

Target population

Study herds

Target population

 

Mean

Mean

Median (p25; p75)b

Median (p25; p75)b

Median (p25; p75)b

Median (p25; p75)b

Median (p25; p75)b

Median (p25; p75)b

Average herd size (cow-years)

109

126

26.4 (20.8; 37.8)

25.4 (19.7; 35.5)

21.4 (18.1; 27.9)

21.2 (17.6; 27.6)

49.2 (33.9; 74.5)

45.4 (30.8; 69.2)

Age at first calving (months)

–

–

25 (25; 27)

25 (25; 26)

25.8 (24.7; 27.3)

25.6 (24.5; 27.1)

27.6 (26.4; 29.3)

27.8 (26.3; 30.0)

Calving to first insemination (days)

–

–

92 (83; 104)

93 (83; 106)

76 (69; 84)

78 (70; 86)

89 (80; 99)

91 (81; 105)

Average yearly milk yield per cow (kg)

8,914

8,922

9,122 (8,372; 9,796)

8,738 (7,991; 9,443)

7,233 (6,434; 7,805)

7,008 (6,366; 7,622)

9,446 (8,671; 10,047)

9,313 (8,516; 9,999)

SCC status geometric meand (1,000 cells)

241

245

154 (108; 202)

156 (114; 209)

127 (101; 155)

130 (104; 159)

218 (184; 281)

226 (177; 284)

Fat percentage (%)

4.41

4.26

4.16 (3.94; 4.38)

4.22 (4.00; 4.43)

4.15 (3.96; 4.39)

4.41 (3.92; 4.43)

4.19 (4.04; 4.34)

4.18 (4.04; 4.33)

Protein percentage (%)

3.47

3.41

3.44 (3.38; 3.51)

3.45 (3.38; 3.51)

3.39 (3.34; 3.46)

3.39 (3.32; 3.46)

3.41 (3.34; 3.50)

3.14 (3.33; 3.49)

  1. The target populations were herds in milk recording with an average herd size of at least 15 cows. The figures are only for within-country comparison since the presented parameters are calculated differently for each country.
  2. a The access to target population data from Denmark was limited. Consequently, officially published country statistics and only mean values are presented without measures of spread.
  3. b 25th and 75th percentiles.
  4. c We had no access to this figure for all dairy herds in Denmark.
  5. d The Swedish mean is arithmetic. In Denmark the mean is of the bulk milk SCC, in the other three countries the mean is calculated from individual cows SCC.
  6. SCC = somatic cell count.