Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping
Farm animal health is an area of increasing interest to both the public and industry stakeholders. There is an ongoing debate on whether improving animal health, and thereby increasing welfare, is profitable or not. Improving animal health often requires investments in the farm or increases labour c...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Animal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731123002884 |
| _version_ | 1797679525406965760 |
|---|---|
| author | A. af Sandeberg R. Båge A.-K. Nyman S. Agenäs H. Hansson |
| author_facet | A. af Sandeberg R. Båge A.-K. Nyman S. Agenäs H. Hansson |
| author_sort | A. af Sandeberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Farm animal health is an area of increasing interest to both the public and industry stakeholders. There is an ongoing debate on whether improving animal health, and thereby increasing welfare, is profitable or not. Improving animal health often requires investments in the farm or increases labour costs. As a result, the impact of animal health on farm economy is particularly interesting. This study systematically maps and assesses the available evidence in the published scientific literature regarding the link between farms’ economic outcomes on dairy cow health, with the aim of identifying knowledge gaps in this field of research. In total, 59 peer-reviewed articles were included using a broad range of animal health variables and economic outcomes. We found a heterogeneous body of evidence in terms of both methods, animal health measures (AHMs) and economic outcome measures used. None of the included studies makes explicit causal claims between AHMs and economic outcomes. The results suggest that common production diseases such as clinical mastitis and lameness, which are painful and affect cow health and welfare, are costly for farmers. We found a knowledge gap and lack of evidence on the impact of animal health interventions on farms’ economic outcomes, as well as the long-term effects of such interventions. Future research should aim to investigate the causal links between animal health and economic outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:16:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de48b069c9b347b8905238cfc2b20dee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:16:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj.art-de48b069c9b347b8905238cfc2b20dee2023-09-21T04:36:20ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112023-10-011710100971Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mappingA. af Sandeberg0R. Båge1A.-K. Nyman2S. Agenäs3H. Hansson4Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7013, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Corresponding author.Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Växa, SE-10425 Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, SwedenDepartment of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7013, SE-75007 Uppsala, SwedenFarm animal health is an area of increasing interest to both the public and industry stakeholders. There is an ongoing debate on whether improving animal health, and thereby increasing welfare, is profitable or not. Improving animal health often requires investments in the farm or increases labour costs. As a result, the impact of animal health on farm economy is particularly interesting. This study systematically maps and assesses the available evidence in the published scientific literature regarding the link between farms’ economic outcomes on dairy cow health, with the aim of identifying knowledge gaps in this field of research. In total, 59 peer-reviewed articles were included using a broad range of animal health variables and economic outcomes. We found a heterogeneous body of evidence in terms of both methods, animal health measures (AHMs) and economic outcome measures used. None of the included studies makes explicit causal claims between AHMs and economic outcomes. The results suggest that common production diseases such as clinical mastitis and lameness, which are painful and affect cow health and welfare, are costly for farmers. We found a knowledge gap and lack of evidence on the impact of animal health interventions on farms’ economic outcomes, as well as the long-term effects of such interventions. Future research should aim to investigate the causal links between animal health and economic outcomes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731123002884CattleEconomicsHerd profitabilityProduction diseaseWell-being |
| spellingShingle | A. af Sandeberg R. Båge A.-K. Nyman S. Agenäs H. Hansson Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping Animal Cattle Economics Herd profitability Production disease Well-being |
| title | Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping |
| title_full | Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping |
| title_fullStr | Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping |
| title_full_unstemmed | Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping |
| title_short | Review: Linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm-level economic outcomes: a systematic literature mapping |
| title_sort | review linking animal health measures in dairy cows to farm level economic outcomes a systematic literature mapping |
| topic | Cattle Economics Herd profitability Production disease Well-being |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731123002884 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aafsandeberg reviewlinkinganimalhealthmeasuresindairycowstofarmleveleconomicoutcomesasystematicliteraturemapping AT rbage reviewlinkinganimalhealthmeasuresindairycowstofarmleveleconomicoutcomesasystematicliteraturemapping AT aknyman reviewlinkinganimalhealthmeasuresindairycowstofarmleveleconomicoutcomesasystematicliteraturemapping AT sagenas reviewlinkinganimalhealthmeasuresindairycowstofarmleveleconomicoutcomesasystematicliteraturemapping AT hhansson reviewlinkinganimalhealthmeasuresindairycowstofarmleveleconomicoutcomesasystematicliteraturemapping |