Format 6 - PUBLIC¶
Category¶
Pedigree, production, reproduction and health data
Meaning¶
Format 6's include health records.
Exchange protocol¶
Format 6 records are submitted by DRPC and some studs on a regular basis.
Old (outdated) format¶
Current format¶
| Byte Position(s) |
Num Bytes |
Field Format (1) |
Data Type (86) |
Ref Note(s) |
Field Description |
| 1 | 1 | X | CH | 13 | Species code of the animal |
| 2 | 1 | A | CH | 111 | Sex code of the animal |
| Animal Identification Information | |||||
| 3-4 | 2 | AA | CH | 4 | Breed code of animal (alpha code only, no zeros) |
| 5-7 | 3 | AAA | CH | 119 | Country code of ID origin |
| 8-19 | 12 | AA..AA | CH | Identification number of animal (registration or eartag) | |
| Sire Identification Information | |||||
| 20-21 | 2 | AA | CH | 4 | Breed code of animal (alpha code only, no zeros) |
| 22-24 | 3 | AAA | CH | 119 | Country code of ID origin |
| 25-36 | 12 | AA..AA | CH | Identification number of animal (registration or eartag) | |
| Dam Identification Information | |||||
| 37-38 | 2 | AA | CH | 4 | Breed code of animal (alpha code only, no zeros) |
| 39-41 | 3 | AAA | CH | 119 | Country code of ID origin |
| 42-53 | 12 | AA..AA | CH | Identification number of animal (registration or eartag) | |
| Cross Reference Identification Information | |||||
| 54-55 | 2 | AA | CH | 4 | Breed code of ID (alpha code only, no zeros) |
| 56-58 | 3 | AAA | CH | 119 | Country code of ID origin |
| 59-70 | 12 | AA..AA | CH | Identification number of animal (registration or eartag) | |
| 71-78 | 8 | XX..XX | CH | 88 | Birth date of animal (YYYYMMDD) |
| 79 | 1 | A | CH | 120 | Source code |
| 80-87 | 8 | XX..XX | CH | 20 | Processing Date (YYYYMMDD) |
| 88 | 1 | A | CH | 121 | Record type code (H = health record) |
| 89 | 1 | X | CH | 122 | Pedigree verification code |
| 90 | 1 | X | CH | Record version code = 1 (May 2006 version) | |
| 91 | 1 | X | CH | 24 | Multiple birth code |
| 92-93 | 2 | AA | CH | 130 | Registry status |
| 94-99 | 6 | 00..00 | CH | Zeroes: Available for future use | |
| 100 | 1 | X | CH | 85 | Change in cow's information |
| 101 | 1 | X | CH | 85 | Change in cow's ancestor information |
| 102-103 | 2 | XX | CH | 16 | DRPC/DMS code |
| 104-106 | 3 | XXX | CH | 117 | Field Service Affiliate code |
| Animal Herd Code Information | |||||
| 107-108 | 2 | XX | CH | 5 | State code |
| 109-110 | 2 | XX | CH | County code | |
| 111-114 | 4 | XXXX | CH | Herd number | |
| 115-119 | 5 | XXXXX | CH | Cow control number OBS: if cow control number is 6 digits, set cow control number to column 115-120 | |
| 120-125 | 6 | XX...XX | CH | Set to zeros, when cow control number is 5 digits OBS: if cow control number is 6 digits, set column 121-125 to blank | |
| 126 | 1 | A | CH | 123 | Lactation type code ('P' = No production data provided) |
| 127 | 1 | X | CH | 124 | Lactation verification code |
| 128-135 | 8 | XX..XX | CH | 169 | Calving date (YYYYMMDD) |
| 136-137 | 2 | XX | CH | Number of health event segments | |
| Health Event Segments (up to 20 segments) | |||||
| Health Event Segment Block (# 1) | |||||
| 138-141 | 4 | AAAA | CH | 170 | Health event code |
| 142-149 | 8 | XX..XX | CH | Health event date (YYYYMMDD) | |
| 150 | 1 | A | CH | OBSOLETE, should be blank (was health event date type (A = actual; E = estimated) |
|
| 151-156 | 6 | AA..AA | CH | Health event detail | |
| 157-175 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 2 | |
| 176-194 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 3 | |
| 195-213 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 4 | |
| 214-232 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 5 | |
| 233-251 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 6 | |
| 252-270 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 7 | |
| 271-289 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 8 | |
| 290-308 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 9 | |
| 309-327 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 10 | |
| 328-346 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 11 | |
| 347-365 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 12 | |
| 366-384 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 13 | |
| 385-403 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 14 | |
| 404-422 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 15 | |
| 423-441 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 16 | |
| 442-460 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 17 | |
| 461-479 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 18 | |
| 480-498 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 19 | |
| 499-517 | 19 | AA..AA | CH | Health event segment block # 20 | |
DISCUSSION¶
Format 6 is identical to format 5 through byte 137. Like format 5, a number of health event segments may be stored in each record. A format 6 record begins with a calving event and ends prior to a subsequent calving or with the disposal of an animal. Heifer records will be handled in the same manner as reproductive events. For a heifer, the calving date will be blank. A heifer record will capture all health events prior to the first calving.
Format 6 can capture not only disease incidence, but also disease severity information when it's available. A two-level system is proposed for describing health events and consists of the health event code and the health event detail (optional). The format is designed to record disease incidence data rather than disease or preventative treatment data. Note that several event details require values to be "zero-filled." In all cases, values should be LEFT zero-filled. For example, if values 1 to 9 are required to be 2 bytes, values should be entered as 01 to 09.
Similar to the strategy used for test-day and reproductive event data, up to 20 events may be reported per format 6 record, and multiple format 6 records may be reported per lactation. All health events for which codes have been defined should be forwarded in format 6 records. Events for which a code has not been defined will not be stored.
| Health event code | For the data provided in format 6 to be of optimum value for research, a standard set of codes for health events should be encouraged throughout DHI. The following set of uniform health event codes has been developed in conjunction with bovine practitioners, dairy records processing personnel, and other interested parties in order to maximize the likelihood of being accepted on a widespread basis. |
| Health event date | The date on which the health event occurred or was observed. If the date of the health event is not known, the date provided should be the best guess of the date the event occurred, and should be coded with an 'E' for estimated. If the date of the health event is known with certainty, it should be coded as 'A' for actual. |
| Health event detail (optional) | To help dairy producers deal with specific problems of high economic impact such as clinical mastitis in which a causative organism may be known, additional details may be provided. The associated causative organism can be recorded in the health event detail field. For example, there will be a single mastitis code in the health event code field and an accompanying note of the organism in the health event detail field if the producer chooses to supply it (Health event code: 'MAST' Health event detail: 'FR-R--' indicating Staphylococcus aureus of unknown severity in the front right quarter). Examples of health event details are provided in the "Sample Health Event Segments" section. |
HEALTH EVENT CODES¶
Descriptions and four-character codes for the health events to be reported are presented below. Diseases were selected for inclusion in Format 6 based on an analysis of events reported in field data, as well as on their frequency of occurrence and economic impact as reported in the literature. Format 6 is an extensible format and additional health event codes can be defined as necessary to accommodate future needs. The four-character codes are for data transmission purposes and do not need to be made visible to the user of the on-farm management system.
| Description | Standard Code 1 | Usage 2 |
| Health traits | ||
| Cystic Ovary | CYST | Y |
| Diarrhea/Scours | DIAR | N |
| Digestive Problem/Off Feed | DIGE | Y |
| Displaced Abomasum | DA-- | Y |
| Downer Cow | DOWN | Y |
| Dystocia | DYST | Y |
| Johne's Disease/Paratuberculosis | JOHN | Y |
| Ketosis/Acetonemia | KETO | Y |
| Lameness | LAME | Y |
| Leukosis (bovine leukemia virus) | LEUK | Y |
| Mastitis (clinical) | MAST | Y |
| Metritis | METR | Y |
| Milk Fever/Hypocalcemia | MFEV 3 | Y |
| Nervous System Problem | NERV | Y |
| Reproductive problem other than CYST, DYST, METR, RETP |
REPR | Y |
| Respiratory Problem | RESP | Y |
| Retained Placenta | RETP | Y |
| Stillbirth/Perinatal Survival | STIL | Y |
| Teat Injury | TEAT | N |
| Udder Edema | EDEM | Y |
| Management Traits | ||
| Body Condition Score | BCS- | Y |
| Locomotion Score | LOCO | Y |
| Milking Speed | MSPD | Y |
| Temperament/Behavior | BHAV 3 | Y |
| Control Codes | ||
| Delete records for the specified health event date |
DELE | Y |
1 Hyphens ('-') are used to indicate empty columns when an event code is less than 4 bytes. Those columns should be filled with blanks (spaces) in files sent to CDCB.
2 N = No additional information is provided in the "Usage Notes"; Y = Additional information, including the format and contents of the Health Event Detail field, is described in the "Usage Notes" below.
3 The standard codes for Milk Fever/Hypocalcemia and Temperament/ Behavior were represented by MILK and TEMP, respectively, in previous versions. They have been changed to MFEV and BHAV, respectively, to reduce confusion in the field.
Dystocia and stillbirth data are currently received by CDCB in a separate format from lactation and reproductive records. Inclusion of these traits may lead to improved reporting and improve our ability to accurately model the impact of dystocia and stillbirth on production. These data will complement, rather than replace, data currently collected for these traits.
Abortions are not included in Format 6 because they are already included in Format 4.
HEALTH EVENT DETAIL¶
Body Condition Score¶
The health event detail field must contain the body condition score to two decimal places multiplied by 100, e.g. 2.00 would be reported as 200 and 3.25 as 325. Valid body condition scores range from 1.00 to 5.00, and valid scores in the BCS event detail field range from 100 to 500. The health event detail field for a BCS record has the following format:
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Body condition score | 1-3 | 3 | 200, 325, etc. |
| Reserved for future use | 4-6 | 3 | blanks |
See an example record for Body Condition Score (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Cystic Ovaries¶
Cystic ovaries are defined as those with follicles having a diameter of at least 2 cm present on at least one ovary without any active luteal tissue and clearly interfering with normal ovarian cyclicity. Cystic follicles can occur at any time throughout the lactation; however, the majority occurs within 60 days after calving. The major symptom of cystic ovarian follicles is temporary infertility or anestrus. Other symptoms can include irregular estrus intervals, nymphomania, relaxation of broad pelvic ligaments, and development of masculine physical traits.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
See an example record for Cystic Ovaries (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Digestive Problem/Off Feed¶
A cow that is off feed should be classified as DIGE only when no other disease is present, e.g., a cow that is off feed because of lameness should be classified as LAME rather than as DIGE. If a cow is known to be affected by both a digestive problem, such as bloat, and a specific disease or health problem, segments may be generated for both events.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
See an example record for Digestive Problem/Off Feed (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Displaced Abomasum¶
Displaced abomasum is a metabolic problem that typically requires veterinary intervention. It involves enlargement of the abomasum with fluid, gas, or both, causing migration of the abomasum to either the left or right side of the abdominal cavity. Right displaced abomasum is typically more critical due to the risk of torsion, which prevents digesta from continuing through the digestive tract. Codes used to distinguish between left (L) and right (R) displacement may be provided in the detail field.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Side of displacement | 1 | 1 | L, R, blank |
| Reserved for future use | 2-6 | 5 | blanks |
See an example record for Displaced Abomasum (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Downer Cow¶
If a downer cow is known to be affected by a specific disease or health problem, records may be provided for both events. For example, if a cow has a difficult calving and then goes down, both DOWN and DYST segments may be reported.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
Dystocia¶
The number of calves, followed by the calving ease score, can be recorded in the health event detail field. Calving ease scores should be provided for all births, regardless of difficulty, rather than scores only for difficult births. Scores should be assigned using the five-point scale: 1 = No problem; 2 = Slight problem; 3 = Needed assistance; 4 = Considerable force; 5 = Extreme difficulty. The health event detail field for a DYST record has the following format:
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Number of calves born | 1 | 1 | 1-3, blank |
| Calving ease score | 2-4 | 1-3 | 1-5 (one score per calf delivered), blank |
| Reserved for future use | 3,4, or 5-6 | 2-4 | blanks |
See an example record for Dystocia (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Johne's Disease (Paratuberculosis)¶
A number of different diagnostic tests may be used to test for Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, including ELISA, fecal culture, and PCR-based tests. Event details include the type of test used, the associated test score, and the diagnosis assigned by the laboratory performing the test.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Diagnostic test | 1 | 1 | G, I, L, O, P, R, or S |
| Score | 2 or NA | 0-4 | 000 to 400 (raw score × 100) for type G, zero-filled; 0000 to 1000 (raw score × 100) for type I, zero-filled; 00 to 42 for type L, zero-filled; No score is reported for type O; 000 to 420 ([raw score + 0.20] × 100) for type P, zero-filled; 00 to 44 for type R, zero-filled; 0000 to 0300 or TNTC (too numerous to count) for type S, zero-filled |
| Johne's status | 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 | 1 | P for positive, N for negative |
| Reserved for future use | 3, 4, or 5-6 or NA | 0-4 | blanks |
Diagnostic test¶
The type of diagnostic test used is indicated by a one-character code assigned as follows:
| Code | Test type | Reference (website) |
| G | Fecal PCR (gel-based) | - |
| I | IDEXX Laboratories Mycobacterium paratuberculosis test kits | IDEXX Laboratories |
| L | Fecal culture (liquid media) | - |
| O | Other test (histology, acid fast stain, etc.) | - |
| P | ParaCheck milk ELISA | Prionics |
| R | Fecal PCR (real-time) | - |
| S | Fecal culture (solid media) | - |
NOTE: Mention of specific product names does not constitute an endorsement on the part of the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding.
See an example record for Johne's Disease (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Ketosis¶
Ketosis is a metabolic disease that occurs when the cow is in a severe state of negative energy balance. In this state, the cow mobilizes large quantities of body fat but cannot convert this to energy through the usual pathways. Instead, ketone bodies are produced, which in small amounts can be used by the cow for energy. However, when ketone production is high, the cow cannot use all the ketone bodies for energy and ketone levels increase in the blood. Ketosis often occurs post-calving, when the cow is mobilizing excess body fat to meet the demands of milk production. Cows that are over-conditioned at calving are particularly at risk. Ketosis can also occur due to ingestion of poor quality silage.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
See an example record for Ketosis (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Lameness¶
Lameness can be caused by several different factors including infectious pathogens (I), metabolic causes (M), or other noninfectious causes (O). These may be provided in the detail field. Further specification of the cause of lameness may also be included following the abbreviations listed below. Detailed images for many of the causes of lameness listed below can be viewed here: ICAR Claw Health Atlas
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| General cause of lameness | 1 | 1 | I, M, O, blank |
| Detailed cause of lameness | 2-3 | 2 | AB, DD, ID, HE, IP, SH, SU, TU, WL, CC, HF, IH, PT, TS, OO, blanks |
| Reserved for future use | 4-6 | 3 | blanks |
Cause of lameness¶
General and/or specific cause of lameness can be described using the following acronyms:
| Cause | Abbreviation | Synonymous Terms |
| Infectious | I | |
| Abscess | AB | |
| Digital dermatitis | DD | Hairy heel wart |
| Interdigital/superficial dermatitis | ID | |
| Heel erosion | HE | Slurry heel |
| Interdigital phlegmon | IP | Foot rot |
| Noninfectious / Metabolic | M | |
| Sole hemorrhage | SH | |
| Sole ulcer | SU | |
| Toe ulcer | TU | |
| White line disease | WL | |
| Noninfectious / Other | O | |
| Corkscrew claw | CC | |
| Horn fissure | HF | |
| Interdigital hyperplasia | IH | Corns |
| Physical trauma | PT | |
| Thin sole | TS | |
| Other | OO | Any specific cause not listed above |
See an example record for Lameness (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Leukosis¶
Several different diagnostic tests may be used to test for the presence of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), including three ELISA-based tests and an immunidiffusion test. Event details include the type of test used, the associated test score, and the diagnosis assigned by the laboratory performing the test.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Diagnostic test | 1 | 1 | A, I, S, V |
| Score | 2-4 | 3 | 000 to 900 (raw score × 100) for all tests, zero-filled |
| BLF infection status | 5 | 1 | P for positive, S for suspect, and N for negative |
| Reserved for future use | 6 | 1 | blank |
Diagnostic Test¶
The type of diagnostic test used is indicated by a one-character code assigned as follows:
| Code | Test type | Reference (website) |
| A | AntelBio ELISA | AntelBio |
| I | IDEXX Laboratories Bovine Leukemia Virus/Enzootic Bovine Leukosis test kits | IDEXX Laboratories |
| S | Synbiotics Leucose Bovine AGID | Synbiotics Corporation |
| V | VMRD Bovine Leukemia Virus Antibody Test Kit | VMRD, Inc. |
NOTE: Mention of specific product names does not constitute an endorsement on the part of the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding.
See an example record for Leukosis (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Locomotion Score¶
Scores may be provided on either the 6-point scale of Hernandez et al. (2007) (H) or the 5-point scale of Sprecher et al. (1997) (S).
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Type of scale | 1 | 1 | H or S |
| Cow's locomotion score | 2 | 1 | 1-6 for type H; 1-5 for type S |
| Reserved for future use | 3-6 | 4 | blanks |
See an example record for Locomotion Score (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Mastitis (clinical)¶
The health event detail field for MAST events will store information on affected quarters, clinical appearance, and organisms. A separate health event segment should be generated for each infected quarter. Organisms should only be indicated when confirmed by a culture. The health event detail field for a MAST record has the following format:
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Affected quarter | 1-2 | 2 | FL, FR, RL, RR, blanks |
| Clinical appearance | 3 | 1 | 1, 2, 3, blank |
| Organism | 4 | 1 | A, B, C, E, K, M, N, O, P, R, S, Y, blank |
| Reserved for future use | 5-6 | 2 | blanks |
Affected quarter¶
The affected quarted is indicated by a two-character code where the first character is "F" for front or "R" for rear and the second character is "L" for left or "R" for right. Blanks in positions 1-2 indicate the presence of clinical mastitis but no indication was given of the quarter infected.
Clinical appearance¶
Clinical appearance is indicated by a one-character code assigned as follows:
| Code | Appearance |
| 1 | Quarter has abnormal milk, quarter is not swollen or inflamed, cow is not sick |
| 2 | Quarter has abnormal milk, quarter is swollen or inflamed, cow is not sick |
| 3 | Quarter has abnormal milk, quarter is swollen or inflamed, cow is sick |
Organism¶
Organisms are indicated using a one-character code. Organisms are only identified when the quarter has been cultured. When no culture has been taken, a blank should be assigned to this byte.
| Organism 1 | Code |
| Corynebacterium bovis | B |
| Escherichia coli | E |
| Klebsiella spp. | K |
| Mycoplasma spp. | M |
| Psuedomonas aeruginosa | P |
| Staphylococcus aureus | R |
| Staphylococcus spp. (other than S. aureus) | C |
| Streptococcus agalactiae | A |
| Streptococcus spp. (other than S. agalactiae) | S |
| Yeast | Y |
| Other organism | O |
| No culture taken | blank |
| No growth on cultured plate | N |
1 spp. = species
See an example record for Mastitis (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Metritis¶
Metritis can refer to a general infection of the endometrium postpartum. More specifically, metritis is defined as inflammation resulting from infection of the uterus. Symptoms may include fever, red-brown watery foul-smelling uterine discharge, dullness, lack of appetite, increased heart rate, and decreased production. Risk factors of metritis include dystocia, retained placenta, stillbirth, twins, primiparity, calving in winter, and male calves.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Mucus character | 1 | 1 | 0-3, blank |
| Mucus odor | 2 | 1 | 0, 1, blank |
| Reserved for future use | 3-6 | 4 | blanks |
Metritis severity¶
Severity of metritis based on mucus character and odor may be reported according to the following scale (Sheldon and Dobson, 2004):
| Mucus Character | Score |
| Clear or translucent mucus | 0 |
| Clear or translucent mucus containing flecks of white pus | 1 |
| Less than 50 mL (1/5 cup) exudate containing less than 50% white or cream pus | 2 |
| More than 50 mL (1/5 cup) exudate containing more than 50% white, cream, or bloody pus | 3 |
| Mucus odor | Score |
| No unpleasant odor | 0 |
| Presence of offensive odor | 1 |
See an example record for Metritis (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Milk Fever/Hypocalcemia¶
Milk fever or hypocalcemia is a metabolic problem that occurs when normal blood calcium levels cannot be maintained. Subclinical milk fever is typically defined as total blood calcium concentration less than 2 mmol/L, while clinical milk fever is defined as total blood calcium concentration less than 1.4 mmol/L. Symptoms of milk fever include partial to complete paralysis occurring close to calving (parturient paresis). Risk factors for milk fever include increasing age and over-conditioning.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
See an example record for Milk Fever/Hypocalcemia (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Milking Speed¶
Either scores on an ordered scale or actual milking times must be provided. The type of measurement is specified in byte 1 of the health event detail field as "O" for an ordered scale and "T" for an actual time. The format of MSPD detail records differs according to the type of measurement used:
| Ordered Scale ("O") Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Type of scale | 1 | 1 | O |
| Points on scale | 2-3 | 2 | 01-99, zero-filled |
| Cow's milking speed | 4-5 | 2 | 01-99, zero-filled, ≤ Points on scale value |
| Reserved for future use | 6 | 6 | blanks |
| Time ("T") Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Type of scale | 1 | 1 | T |
| Actual milking speed | 2-5 | 4 | Time (MM:SS) with no separator, zero-filled |
| Number of interruptions | 6 | 1 | 0-9 or blank |
Due to the lack of an industry-standard scale, the number of points on "O" scales must be provided, as well as the cow's milking speed on that scale. Ordered scales are assumed to begin with 01. The mean is assumed to lie in the middle of the range (e.g., 05 on a 09-point scale), with values larger than the mean corresponding to shorter milking times (faster speeds) and values smaller than the mean corresponding to longer milking times (slower speeds).
Actual milking times are reported in minutes and seconds. Note that no separator between minutes and seconds should be included in bytes 2-5 of an actual time ("T") record. Number of interruptions (little or no milk flow) during the milking process (e.g., number of times milking cups were reattached) may be included for records reporting the actual time. This may provide an indication of cow temperament. Multiple-byte numeric fields should be zero-filled. If the number of interruptions is not provided, position 6 should be blank.
See an example record for Milking Speed (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Nervous System Problem¶
Nervous system problems can result for several different reasons including metabolic conditions, bacterial or viral infections, or toxins. If a cow having nervous system problems is also known to be affected by a specific disease or health problem, segments may be provided for both events. Symptoms of nervous system problems include staggering (S), circling (O), depression (D), head tilting or pressing (H), paralysis (P), or coma (C).
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Symptoms | 1-6 | 1-6 | S, O, D, H, P, C, blank |
| Reserved for future use | 2, 3, 4, or 5 – 6 or NA | 0-5 | blanks |
See an example record for Nervous System Problem (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Reproductive Problem (other than CYST, DYST, METR, or RETP)¶
This field is reserved for reporting any reproductive problem not already specifically described. It may include problems such as nonspecific infection of the reproductive tract, anovulation, or twinning.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
See an example record for Reproductive Problem (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Respiratory Problem¶
This trait include pneumonia and all other observed respiratory problems, such as bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), parainfluenza virus 3 (PI3), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR). Typical symptoms of respiratory problems include decreased appetite, cough, fever, abnormal nasal discharge, depression or lethargy, and increased respiratory rate. Respiratory problems are much more common in calves and young animals. The McGuirk and Peek (2014) standardized scoring system is detailed below and may be used to provide details on the symptoms exhibited. Images depicting each scoring level can be viewed here: Score Details.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Rectal temperature (F) | 1 | 1 | 0-3, blank |
| Cough score | 2 | 1 | 0-3, blank |
| Nasal discharge score | 3 | 1 | 0-3, blank |
| Eye score | 4 | 1 | 0-3, blank |
| Ear score | 5 | 1 | 0-3, blank |
| Reserved for future use | 6 | 1 | blank |
Clinical Symptoms¶
Each symptom may have a score ranging from 0 to 3 as detailed below:
| Rectal temperature (F) | Score |
| 100-100.9 | 0 |
| 101-101.9 | 1 |
| 102-102.9 | 2 |
| 103 or above | 3 |
| Cough | Score |
| No cough | 0 |
| Induce single | 1 |
| Induce repeated coughs or occasional spontaneous | 2 |
| Repeated spontaneous coughing | 3 |
| Nasal discharge | Score |
| Normal, serous discharge | 0 |
| Small amount of unilateral, cloudy discharge | 1 |
| Bilateral, cloudy, or excessive mucus | 2 |
| Copious, bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge | 3 |
| Eye or ear symptoms | Score |
| Normal eye and ear | 0 |
| Mild ocular discharge or ear flicking | 1 |
| Moderate bilateral ocular discharge or slight unilateral ear drop | 2 |
| Heavy ocular discharge, severe head tilt, or bilateral ear droop | 3 |
See an example record for Respiratory Problem (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Retained Placenta¶
Retained placenta (RETP) is defined as the failure to expel fetal membranes within 24 hours following parturition. It may also be referred to as retained fetal membranes. RETP occurs when the calf's side of the placenta (the fetal membranes) fails to separate from the mother's side. The prominent sign associated with RETP is degenerating, discolored, ultimately fetid membranes hanging from the vulva. Occasionally, the retained membranes may remain within the uterus and not be readily apparent, in which case their presence may be signaled by a foul-smelling discharge. Retained placenta is most commonly associated with dystocia, milk fever (metabolic diseases), and twin births. Cows with retained fetal membranes are at increased risk of developing metritis, ketosis, mastitis, and even abortion in subsequent pregnancies.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Reserved for future use | 1-6 | 6 | blanks |
See an example record for Retained Placenta (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Stillbirth/Perinatal Survival¶
The number of calves born, and a stillbirth score for each calf, may be recorded in the health event detail field. Stillbirth scores should be provided for all births rather than scores only for stillborn calves. Scores should be assigned using the three-point scale: 1 = Calf alive 48 hours after birth; 2 = Calf was born dead; 3 = Calf was born alive but died within 48 hours of birth. The health event detail field for a STIL record has the following format:
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Number of calves born | 1 | 1 | 1-3, blank |
| Stillbirth score | 2-4 | 1-3 | 1-3 (one score per calf born), blank |
| Reserved for future use | 3, 4, or 5-6 | 2-4 | blanks |
See an example record for Stillbirth/Perinatal Survival (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Temperament/Behavior¶
A cow's termperament should be scored and reported on an ordered scale, much like the "O" type of milking speed measurement. Scales are assumed to begin with 01. The mean is assumed to lie in the middle of the range (e.g. 05 on a 09-point scale), with values larger than the mean corresponding to more desireable temperaments and values smaller than the mean corresponding to less desirable temperaments. Multiple-byte numeric fields should be zero-filled. The health event detail field for a BHAV record has the following format:
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Points on scale | 1-2 | 2 | 01-99, zero-filled |
| Cow's temperament | 3-4 | 2 | 01-99, zero-filled, ≤ points on scale value |
| Reserved for future use | 5-6 | 2 | blanks |
See an example record for Temperament/Behavior (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Udder Edema¶
Udder edema is characterized by excessive accumulation of fluids in the intercellular tissue spaces of the udder and surrounding tissues. Accumulation of fluid begins at the base of the udder and may only affect one or two quarters. As the severity increases, the entire udder is affected and fluid may even spread to the abdominal area, thighs, and/or vulva. Due to the lack of an industry-standard scale, flexibility has been provided as to how severity is reported. The scale provided by Tucker et al., 1992 (shown below) may be used, or a self-defined scale may be used.
| Tucker Scale ("T") Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Type of scale | 1 | 1 | T |
| Description of severity | 2-3 | 2 | 00-10 |
| Reserved for future use | 4-6 | 3 | blanks |
| Other Scale ("O") Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Type of scale | 1 | 1 | O |
| Points on scale | 2-3 | 2 | 01-99, zero-filled |
| Description of severity | 4-5 | 2 | 01-99, zero-filled, ≤ points on scale value |
| Reserved for future use | 6 | 1 | blank |
Udder edema severity¶
Severity of udder edema may be reported using the following scale (Tucker et al., 1992). Note that scores are zero-filled for values 00 to 09.
| Description of severity | Score |
| No edema apparent | 00 |
| Edema in the base of the udder around 1 or 2 quarters | 01 |
| Edema in the base of the udder around 3 or 4 quarters | 02 |
| Edema covering the lower half of the udder | 03 |
| Edema beginning to show in the midline to navel | 04 |
| Extensive fluid accumulation along midline and navel | 05 |
| Edema covering entire udder; median suspensory ligament crease has disappeared | 06 |
| Midline fluid accumulation extended to brisket | 07 |
| Midline fluid accumulation extended dorsally; subcutaneous abdominal vein indistinguishable | 08 |
| Fluid accumulation extended to thighs | 09 |
| Severe edema; marked fluid accumulation in vulva; edema extensive in all areas mentioned above | 10 |
See an example record for Udder Edema (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
Control Codes¶
DELE indicates that a record for the specified health date should be deleted for the animal. All reported health records for the animal on the given date will NOT be used. If only the health records pertaining to a particular event should be deleted for an animal, that health event can be designated in the detail fields.
| Detail | Pos | Num Bytes | Values |
| Specific event to be deleted | 1-4 | 4 | CYST, DIAR, DIGE, DA‑‑, DOWN, DYST, JOHN, KETO, LAME, LEUK,MAST, METR, MFEV, NERV, REPR, RESP, RETP, STIL, TEAT, EDEM, BCS‑, LOCO, MSPD, BHAV |
| Reserved for future use | 5-6 | 2 | blanks |
See an example record for Control Codes (from SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS section)
SAMPLE HEALTH EVENT SEGMENTS¶
Sample health event segments are provided to demonstrate proper usage. Only bytes 138+ of each segment are presented.
Hyphens ('-') are used to indicate empty fields which should be filled with blanks (spaces) in files sent to CDCB.
Body Condition Score¶
An animal with a body condition score of 3.25 indicated in the health event detail field. (note that the decimal point is not stored)
BCS‑20031004A325‑‑‑Cystic Ovaries¶
A cow with cystic ovaries with an estimated diagnosis date of February 10, 2017
CYST20170210E‑‑‑‑‑‑Digestive Problem/Off Feed¶
A cow that is off feed on February 9, 2014
DIGE20150209A‑‑‑‑‑‑Displaced Abomasum¶
A cow with left displaced abomasum
DA‑‑20161127AL‑‑‑‑‑Dystocia¶
A single birth with a calving ease score of "1" indicated in the health event detail field
DYST20031004A11‑‑‑‑A twin birth with a calving ease score of "3" indicated in the health event detail field note that a calving ease score is provided for each calf born)
DYST20031004A233‑‑‑Johne's Disease (Paratuberculosis)¶
A Johne's-free sample based on a fecal gel-based PCR score of 0.05. The score reported in the Format 6 record is calculated as: 0.05 × 100 = 5. Note that the three-byte score is zero-filled, so 5 is coded as 005.
JOHN20090604AG005N‑A diagnosis of Johne's disease based on a raw score of 0.35 on an IDEXX ELISA test. The score reported in the Format 6 record is calculated as: 0.35 × 100 = 35. Note that the four-byte score is zero-filled, so 35 is coded as 0035.
JOHN20090604AI0035PA diagnosis of Johne's disease based on a score of 7 from a liquid-media fecal culture. Note that the two-byte score is zero-filled, so 7 is coded as 07.
JOHN20090604AL07P‑‑A diagnosis of Johne's disease based on an unspecified test.
JOHN20090604AOP‑‑‑‑A sample positive for Johne's disease based on a raw score of 0.20 on a ParaCheck© milk ELISA test. The score reported in the Format 6 record is calculated as: (0.20 + 0.20) × 100 = 40. Note that the three-byte score is zero-filled, so 40 is coded as 040.
JOHN20090604AP040P‑A real-time fecal PCR test resulting in a diagnosis of Johne's disease. Note that the two-byte score is zero-filled, so 9 is coded as 09.
JOHN20090604AR09P‑‑A diagnosis of Johne's disease based on a fecal culture on solid media. Note that the four-byte score is zero-filled, so 85 is coded as 0085.
JOHN20090604AS0085PKetosis¶
A cow diagnosed with ketosis on August 12, 2015
KETO20150812A‑‑‑‑‑‑Lameness¶
Lameness with no reported cause
LAME20031017A‑‑‑‑‑‑Lameness caused by hairy heel wart
LAME20031004AIDD‑‑‑Lameness with a metabolic cause
LAME20031004AM‑‑‑‑‑Leukosis¶
A positive diagnosis of leukosis (bovine leukemia virus) based on a raw score of 6.0 on an AntelBio Leukosis Milk ELISA test. The score reported in the Format 6 record is calculated as: 6.0 × 100 = 600.
LEUK20101020AA600P‑Locomotion Score¶
A locomotion score of 4 (lame – an arched-back posture is always evident, gait is best described as one deliberate step at a time, and one or more feet/limbs are favored) on the scale of Hernandez et al. (2007).
LOCO20090414AH4‑‑‑‑A locomotion score of 1 (the cow stands and walks with a level-back posture and her gait is normal) on the scale of Sprecher et al. (1997).
LOCO20090414AS1‑‑‑‑Mastitis¶
A three segment case of clinical mastitis in the right front quarter, the quarter is inflamed but the cow is not sick. A culture was taken and results returned on October 4, 2012, indicating that the causitive organism was Staphylococcus aureus
MAST20041001AFR2‑‑‑
MAST20041002AFR2‑‑‑
MAST20041004AFR1R‑‑Metritis¶
A cow diagnosed as having metritis with translucent mucus containing some flecks of white pus with no odor
METR20160711A10‑‑‑‑Milk Fever/Hypocalcemia¶
A cow diagnosed with clinical milk fever
MFEV20160711A‑‑‑‑‑‑Milking Speed¶
A cow with faster than average milking speed (7) on a 9-point scale
MSPD20031004AO0907‑A cow that took 10 minutes and 30 seconds of actual time to milk out
MSPD20031004AT1030‑Nervous System Problem¶
A cow displaying a nervous system problem with circling and head tilting
NERV20110617AOH‑‑‑‑Reproductive Problem¶
A cow with a general infection of the reproductive tract
REPR20150317A‑‑‑‑‑‑Respiratory Problem¶
A cow displaying a respiratory problem evidenced by a temperature of 101°F, occasional spontaneous coughing, a small amount of cloudy nasal discharge, and normal eye and ear scores
RESP20130511A12100‑Retained Placenta¶
A cow that has not expelled fetal membranes 36 hours after giving birth
RETP20150331A‑‑‑‑‑‑Stillbirth/Perinatal Survival¶
A single birth with a live calf 48 hours postpartum
STIL20031004A11‑‑‑‑A twin birth with one stillborn calf and one live calf 48 hours postpartum
STIL20031004A221‑‑‑Temperament/Behavior¶
A cow with an average temperament score (5) on a 9-point scale
BHAV20031004A0905‑‑A cow with a poor temperament score (undesirable) (10) on a 50-point scale
BHAV20031004A5010‑‑Udder Edema¶
A cow with edema covering the lower half of the udder, using the Tucker scale
EDEM20161017AT03‑‑‑Control Codes¶
Records from June 17, 2015 were incorrect for this animal
DELE20150617A‑‑‑‑‑‑FUTURE DIRECTIONS¶
As noted above, Format 6 is designed to be an extensible format which can accommodate new traits as they are identified by the industry and support the expansion of current data collection efforts. Although it does not report service sire ID information, which can be reported using Format 5 (Reproduction Record), Format 6 can be used to report dystocia and stillbirth scores. As software support for collecting health and reproductive data improves, the NAAB calving ease format can be replaced with Formats 5 and 6, which would simplify collection of data for the NAAB calving traits program.
REFERENCES¶
Hernandez, J., J. Shearer, C. Risco, and W. Thatcher. 2007. Lameness and reproductive performance in dairy cows. Pages 109–113 in Proc. Dairy Cattle Reprod. Conf., Denver, CO.
McGuirk, S.M. and S.F. Peek. 2014. Timely diagnosis of dairy calf respiratory disease using a standardized scoring system. Anim. Health Res. Rev. 15:145–147.
Sheldon, I.M. and H. Dobson. 2004. Postpartum uterine health in cattle. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 82:295–306.
Sprecher, D. J., D. E. Hostetler, J. B. Kaneene. 1997. A lameness scoring system that uses posture and gait to predict dairy cattle reproductive performance. Theriogenology 47:1179–1187.
Tucker, W.B., G.D. Adams, M. Lema, M. Aslam, I.S. Shin, P Le Ruyet, and D.L. Weeks. 1992. Evaluation of a system for rating edema in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 75:2382–2387.