Abstract #222
Section: Extension Education
Session: Extension Education
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Monday 2:30 PM–2:45 PM
Location: 327
Session: Extension Education
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Monday 2:30 PM–2:45 PM
Location: 327
# 222
Bovine respiratory disease prevalence estimation in pre-weaned dairy calves using a mobile application.
B. M. Karle*1, S. S. Aly2,3, D. R. Williams3, J. W. Stackhouse4, A. L. Van Eenennaam5, T. W. Lehenbauer2,3, 1University of California Cooperative Extension, Orland, CA, 2Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 3UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, Tulare, CA, 4University of California Cooperative Extension, Eureka, CA, 5Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA.
Key Words: bovine respiratory disease, calves, app
Bovine respiratory disease prevalence estimation in pre-weaned dairy calves using a mobile application.
B. M. Karle*1, S. S. Aly2,3, D. R. Williams3, J. W. Stackhouse4, A. L. Van Eenennaam5, T. W. Lehenbauer2,3, 1University of California Cooperative Extension, Orland, CA, 2Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 3UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, Tulare, CA, 4University of California Cooperative Extension, Eureka, CA, 5Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA.
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) accounts for 22% of pre-weaned dairy calf deaths. Dairy calf raisers frequently do not accurately diagnose or track the incidence of BRD in pre-weaned calves. The objective of this project was to estimate the sample size required to survey a herd of pre-weaned dairy calves for BRD and develop a user-friendly interface to aid calf caretakers, producers, veterinarians, and consultants in accurate diagnosis of this disease and assist in improved control measures. A mobile application (“app”) was developed to aid in BRD detection and prevalence estimation using the California BRD scoring system. Study personnel designed the application’s survey methodology based on a simple random sample for prevalence estimation. Once outlined by study personnel, application specifications and design layout were implemented into the app by software developers (Vestra Resources Inc., Redding, CA). The app automates the prevalence estimation based on a user specified bound (width of the confidence interval), assumed prevalence and total number of pre-weaned calves on site. After the designated sample number of calves is evaluated, the app generates a report indicating the estimate and 95% confidence limits for prevalence of BRD in the calf herd. In addition, descriptive analyses, a histogram of clinical signs present in the calves evaluated, and identification numbers of cases and non-cases are reported and can be self-emailed or shared with a consultant. Users can review the history of BRD status results with the ability to review the data collected for each calf at each sampling session, and for consultants, by herd. The mobile application is currently available free of charge in both English and Spanish on the iOS App Store and Google Play. The use of a mobile application to train calf caretakers on BRD detection, and to automate BRD prevalence estimation in pre-weaned dairy calves will allow producers, veterinarians and consultants to more effectively track the respiratory disease status of their dairy calf herds.
Key Words: bovine respiratory disease, calves, app
