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Biomedical subjects

Willard C Losinger

Publications and source records attributed to Willard C Losinger.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Welfare effects of reduced milk production associated with Johne's disease on Johne's-positive versus Johne's-negative dairy operations.

An examination of the economic impacts of reduced milk production associated with Johne's disease on Johne's-positive and Johne's-negative dairy operations indicated that, if Johne's disease had not existed in US dairy cows in 1996, then the economic surplus of Johne's-negative operations would have been $600 million+/-$530 million lower, while the economic surplus of Johne's-positive operations would have been higher by $28 million+/-$79 million, which was not significantly different from zero. The data available for projecting changes in surplus were not sufficiently precise to allow an exact statement on whether Johne's-positive operations would have been better or worse off economically, in terms of the value received for producing more milk if they had not been affected by Johne's disease. The changes in producer surplus, based upon eliminating specific epidemiological risk factors for Johne's disease, were disaggregated between Johne's-positive dairy operations exposed to the risk factor and all other US dairy operations. Eliminating the risk factor of having any cows not born on the operation would have had a significant positive effect on the economic surplus of Johne's-positive operations that had any cows not born on the operation.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed2006

Economic impacts of reduced milk production associated with papillomatous digital dermatitis in dairy cows in the USA.

The goal of this study was to measure the economic impacts of reduced milk production associated with papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) in dairy cows in the USA, and of specific risk factors for PDD, in 1996. The method applied was an economic-welfare analysis of producer and consumer surplus, with the GUM Workbench used to analyse uncertainties in the measurements. Reduced milk production associated with PDD was found to reduce consumer surplus by Dollars 750 million +/- Dollars 580 million, and to increase the economic surplus of producers by Dollars 560 million +/- Dollars 470 million, with a net economic loss of Dollars 190 million +/- Dollars 130 million. An examination of the economic effects of specific epidemiologic risk factors for PDD showed that having dairy cows that were not born on the operation had important economic consequences associated with the disease, as did the type of land to which dairy cows had access during the winter months and the type of flooring on which cows walked. Washing hoof-trimming equipment between cows was an important biosecurity measure that was associated with reduced PDD. The epidemiologic model used also implicated hoof trimmers who trimmed cattle hooves on other operations as having an important economic impact associated with this disease, although this finding may have been erroneous.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed2006

Welfare effects of the use of recombinant bovine somatotropin in the USA.

The welfare effects of increased milk production associated with the use of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) on dairy operations in the USA were examined for 1996. Results that derived from three different estimates of the milk-production response to rBST were evaluated and compared. One estimate, derived from a survey of dairy producers in Connecticut, led to economic-impact estimates that were not statistically significant. A second, derived from a national survey that concentrated on the health and management of dairy cattle, led to estimates that were unbelievably high. A third, derived from a national survey that concentrated on the economics of dairy producers, provided the most reasonable estimates of economic impacts. Results of economic analysis, using the latter results, indicated that if rBST had not caused milk production to increase, then the market price of milk would have been 2.2 +/- 1.5 cents/kg higher, and the total value of the milk produced would have risen from Dollars 23.0 +/- 0.6 billion to Dollars 24.1 +/- 1.0 billion. A welfare analysis demonstrated that the increased milk production (and the reduced market price) associated with the use of rBST in the USA caused the economic surplus of consumers to rise by Dollars 1.5 +/- 1.0 billion, while the economic surplus of dairy producers fell by Dollars 1.1 +/- Dollars 0.8 billion. Increased milk production associated with rBST yielded a total gain to the US economy of Dollars 440 +/- 280 million. An analysis of annual percent changes in the number of dairy cows per operation, milk production per cow, total milk production, total number of dairy cows, and total number of dairy operations in the USA suggested that the dairy industry's long-term economic growth path was stable from 1989-2001 inclusive, and did not receive a shock resulting from the introduction of rBST.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed2006

Economic impacts of reduced milk production associated with epidemiological risk factors for Johne's disease on dairy operations in the USA.

An examination of the economic effects of epidemiologic risk factors for Johne's disease identified regional and herd size differences as having the greatest impact. Having dairy cows that were not born on the operation was the most important factor over which individual producers had the most immediate control. Economic consequences associated with using multiple-cow-maternity housing and multiple-preweaned-calf housing were not statistically significant. Economic welfare analysis was applied, and the GUM Workbench was used to analyse uncertainties in the estimates of the economic impacts.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed2005

Economic impacts of the mortality rate for suckling pigs in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To measure economic impacts attributable to the mortality rate for suckling pigs in the United States. DESIGN: Economic analysis that incorporated data from various sources. SAMPLE POPULATION: Suckling pigs on U.S. swine farms. PROCEDURE: Economic impacts associated with the mortality rate for suckling pigs during 1995 were estimated from supply-and-demand curves for pork and from an estimate of the elasticity of production for pigs entering the grower-finisher phase of production. RESULTS: A decrease in the mortality rate for suckling pigs would have caused an increase in pork production and a decrease in price and total value of production. Assuming no suckling pigs had died during 1995, consumer surplus would have increased by (mean +/- SE) 430 +/- 160 million dollars, whereas producer surplus would have decreased by 180 +/- 140 million dollars. The total gain to the US economy would have been 250 +/- 30 million dollars. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Researchers who attempt to estimate the economic impact of mortality and morbidity rates of livestock should not ignore the influence of demand and the possibility of price adjustments. Consumers would stand to benefit from an increase in pork production associated with a reduction in the mortality rate for suckling pigs, whereas the swine industry would experience an economic loss. Individual producers need to compare the costs of measures intended to reduce the mortality rate for suckling pigs with the anticipated benefits.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2005

Economic impacts of reduced milk production associated with an increase in bulk-tank somatic cell count on US dairies.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the economic impacts attributable to an increase in bulk-tank somatic cell count (BTSCC) on US dairies. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of data from various sources. PROCEDURE: Economic impacts attributable to reduced milk production associated with an increase in BTSCC (> or = 200,000 cells/mL) in dairy cows during 1996 were estimated from supply-and-demand curves for milk and from an estimate of the effect of increased BTSCC on milk production. RESULTS: Reduced milk production associated with an increase in BTSCC in dairy cows during 1996 caused an economic loss (mean +/- 2SE) of 3.1 +/- 2.1 billion dollars to consumers, an economic gain of 2.2 +/- 1.7 billion dollars to dairy producers, and a total loss of 810 +/- 480 million dollars to the US economy as a whole. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Consumers would stand to benefit from increased milk production associated with reducing the BTSCC to < 200,000 cells/mL on all dairy operations, whereas the US dairy industry would experience an economic loss. Individual dairy producers need to compare the costs of measures intended to reduce BTSCC with the anticipated benefits from a decrease in BTSCC.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Economic impacts of reduced pork production associated with the diagnosis of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae on grower/finisher swine operations in the United States.

An examination of the economic impacts of the diagnosis of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae on grower/finisher swine operations indicated that reduced pork production, associated with the diagnosis of A. pleuropneumoniae on the operation, diminished consumer surplus by $53+/-52 million, and resulted in a total loss of $32+/-30 million to the US economy in 1995. Most of the economic surplus lost by consumers was transferred to producers, whose economic surplus increased by $21+/-25 million (which was not significantly different from zero). Uncertainty analysis showed that an estimate of the decline in production associated with the diagnosis of A. pleuropneumoniae accounted for most of the uncertainty of the change in consumer surplus and of the total loss to the economy. The estimate of the price elasticity of demand for pork also contributed towards a lot of the uncertainty in the estimated change in producer surplus.

Actinobacillus Infections↗
PubMed2005

Economic impact of reduced milk production associated with Johne's disease on dairy operations in the USA.

Accurately assessing the economic impacts of diseases and other factors that affect milk production requires that the demand for milk be taken into account. Because demand for milk in the USA is relatively inelastic (i.e., consumers generally purchase a somewhat fixed amount over a given time frame, regardless of fluctuations in price), consumers tend to reap much of the benefit of enhanced production. An examination of the economic impacts of Johne's disease indicated that reduced milk production, associated with the determination of dairy operations as Johne's-positive, reduced consumer surplus by 770 million dollars+/- 690 million dollars, and resulted in a total loss of 200 million dollars+/- 160 million dollars to the US economy in 1996. Most of the economic surplus lost by consumers was transferred to producers, whose economic surplus increased by 570 million dollars+/- 550 million dollars as a result of the reduced milk production associated with Johne's disease. Uncertainty analysis showed that the estimated reduction in milk production on Johne's-positive dairy operations accounted for most of the uncertainty in the economic-impact estimates. If Johne's disease had not been present on US dairy operations, then an additional 580 million+/-460 million kg of milk would have been produced, but the price would have fallen by 1.1+/-1.0 cents/kg, and the total value of the milk would have decreased by 580 million dollars+/- 560 million dollars.

Animals↗