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Table 1 Distribution of farmers´ stated reasons for Estonian culled dairy cows due to death and slaughter over parities in years 2013 to 2015

From: Culling reasons and risk factors in Estonian dairy cows

 

Parity

Reason of culling

1 (%)a

2 (%)a

3 (%)a

4 (%)a

5 (%)a

≥6 (%)a

Total (%)a

Feet/claw disorders

2875 (25.2)

2953 (26.3)

2913 (27.1)

2355 (27.3)

1499 (26.6)

1487 (26.2)

14,082 (26.4)

Respiratory and infectious diseases

208 (1.8)

168 (1.5)

139 (1.3)

77 (0.9)

46 (0.8)

29 (0.5)

667 (1.3)

Metabolic and digestive disorders

1527 (13.4)

1932 (17.2)

2193 (20.4)

1855 (21.5)

1197 (21.2)

950 (16.8)

9654 (18.1)

Fertility problems

1736 (15.2)

1782 (15.9)

1322 (12.3)

865 (10.0)

519 (9.2)

457 (8.1)

6681 (12.5)

Dystocia

561 (4.9)

232 (2.1)

211 (2.0)

185 (2.2)

142 (2.5)

116 (2.1)

1447 (2.7)

Trauma and accident

615 (5.4)

488 (4.3)

403 (3.7)

266 (3.1)

157 (2.8)

138 (2.4)

2067 (3.9)

Udder disorders

2046 (18.0)

2404 (21.4)

2569 (23.9)

2157 (25.0)

1455 (25.8)

1418 (25.0)

12,049 (22.6)

Low milk yield

930 (8.2)

525 (4.7)

378 (3.5)

276 (3.2)

175 (3.1)

168 (3.0)

2452 (4.6)

Age

1 (0.01)

2 (0.02)

9 (0.1)

38 (0.4)

92 (1.6)

552 (9.7)

694 (1.3)

Otherb

897 (7.9)

749 (6.7)

630 (5.9)

540 (6.3)

359 (6.4)

351 (6.2)

3526 (6.6)

Total

11,396 (21.4)c

11,235 (21.1)c

10,767 (20.2)c

8614 (16.2)c

5641 (10.6)c

5666 (10.6)c

53,319 (100.0)

  1. a n (% of total n culled in respective parity)
  2. banimal lost, bad temperament, bad milking, selling, other reasons
  3. c n (% of total n culled)