Estimating The Lifetime Total Economic Costs Of Respiratory Disease In Beef And Dairy Calves In The Uk

Penetration of calf respiratory disease vaccination in the UK is low (estimated 25% of dairy calves and 35% of beef calves). Market research indicates that an important barrier to vaccination is a limited understanding of costs of calf respiratory disease across the lifetime of the animals. To estimate the lifetime total economic cost of calf respiratory disease in beef and dairy cattle. Separate analyses were conducted for dairy heifer (DH), dairy-bred beef (DBB) and beef suckler (BS) calves. Analyses considered costs at the individual animal level from the perspective of the producer. Effects on expenditure (additional resources) and losses (decrease in production) were derived from the published literature. Contemporary (2015) valuations were applied using data mainly from Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). The total cost included the immediate costs of calf respiratory disease and the subsequent impact on productivity across the animal’s life course. In DH calves this included a 2-week delay to first calving, 4 and 8% reduction in first and second lactation milk yields respectively, and a lifetime reduction of 109 days in milk due to reduced longevity in the herd. In DBB and BS calves costs were compared to target to finish at 22 (DBB) or 16 (BS) months of age and included 72 and 202g reduction in daily liveweight gain for moderate and severe/chronic respiratory disease respectively, and impaired carcass quality. The costs of impaired lifetime productivity exceed the immediate costs of calf respiratory disease. The estimated total economic lifetime cost of respiratory disease was: £772 (DH); £131 (DBB moderate) £327 (DBB severe); £128 (BS moderate); £263 (BS severe). Calf respiratory disease leads to significant immediate and subsequent lifetime productivity economic costs. These cost estimates have potential to inform partial budget models to assess the incremental net benefit of vaccine interventions.