British Cattle Veterinary Association

The use of information systems by veterinarians to analyse dairy herd performance has increased significantly in the United Kingdom in recent years. The ability to import milk recording data in to the InterHerd software has greatly extended the capacity of the veterinarian to analyse fertility, production and other key aspects of herd performance. On-line analysis using the Herd Companion package has established benchmarking and monitoring performance as routine activities of many veterinarians. These information-focused activities are stimulating new working practices that help farmers and their technical advisers to understand and focus on the key issues that impact on herd performance.