Reasons for Disposal of Dairy Cows from New York Herds

Abstract

A mail survey was conducted over a six-month period in New York DHIA herds to determine the reasons for disposal of cows from the herds. Responses were received on 7,362 cows. The most important reasons for disposal were low production, 27–32%; sterility, 16–19%; udder trouble or mastitis, 14–20%; and sold for dairy purposes, 14–15%. Brucellosis and tuberculosis reaction are now relatively unimportant, each accounting for about 1% of the reasons for disposal. Culling for undesirable dairy type is also not very intense, since only 2–4% of cows were disposed of for this reason. Distinct differences between age groups for relative reasons for disposal were noted, as were differences between breeds, although the numbers of observations were small for most breeds. © 1962, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.