Everything we have discussed to this point is actually about establishing a records plan that will allow us to serve the dairy industry of the future using the records that are efficiently gathered so we are not spending all of our time keeping or organizing the records. As our herds get larger, as the number of animals examined at any one time increases, as we are examining groups of diverse animals at one time, and as we struggle to maintain a cow side presence, the organization of the records becomes more critical.

We have considered first very traditional treatment records that we used for tracking well defined conditions recognized as known parts of dairy management. In summary:

The written treatment protocols that included the record keeping instructions for 1 defined condition/ 1 treatment / 1 recording allows us to proactively manage health issues of the individual cow that are expected.

Presented a reference point for predicting and accessing a cows progress during therapy

They collate to allow supervision of all cows under treatment and for detection of treatment failure during the current treatment

The collated records were tabulated to identify the pattern of a condition

By age, by stage of lactation, by severity, by cause, by subclinical history, by clinical history

Successful treatment outcomes can be defined and the proportion successful tabulated for the various subsets of animals needing a treatment decision

This sets stage for arriving at medically appropriate drug plans

Clinical effectiveness can be defined and assessed

Predisposing risks imbedded in the care package can be identified and managed around

SOPS can be proactively modified to match predicable health challenges for each management group.

Management programs can be modified to remove the risk.

KPIs that have value for the variety of management team responsibilities can be developed

Every member of the herds' team can monitor and communicate about proposed modifications in the care plan using actual herd data as a sound foundation

Each management team member can include KPIs they want others to see

Records can demonstrate accountability of early detection policies, detection of mild case, and medically appropriate drug usage for all severities

Supervision of all current treatment can be incorporated into the fertility programs in place

Supervision presents the teachable moment for one on one coaching cow side

The Wisconsin state licensing board has listed some statements in the past about how they measured the VCPR including:

The veterinarian not client determine the need for Rx drugs

There is always the consideration of what is wanted versus what is needed. We started with what was wanted and then worked to what was needed.

Definitions and treatment plans would accomplish this

Plan for treatment of medical conditions and include all veterinary recommendations

Written treatment plan for responsible manager accomplished this and offered the opportunity to achieve the letter of the law not just the intent of the law

Maintain prescription records of drug usage on the dairy

Accomplished

The veterinarian record information about history, symptoms diagnose, and diagnostics

Supervision plan accomplished this

Be available for adverse reactions and timely examination

Accomplished with supervision and care of treatment failure at the herd check

Examining board tended to define adverse reaction as a drug anaphylactic reaction while the consumer is clearly more concerned about the treatment failures.

When the treatment plan is not working provide additional recommendations

Supervision reveals protocol drift and identifies treatment failures