THE AMOUNT, ECONOMIC VALUE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EMISSION OF CEPHAPIRIN AT DRY-OFF IN HOLSTEIN AND SIMMENTAL DAIRY COWS BY HERD SIZE

Boris  Ljubojević; Ranko  Gantner; Zvonimir  Steiner; Dragan  Solić; Vesna Gantner

doi:10.59267/ekoPolj25041343L

Authors

Boris Ljubojević Croatian Forests Ltd., Directorate, Ulica kneza Branimira 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ranko Gantner Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
Zvonimir Steiner Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
Dragan Solić Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, Vinkovačka cesta 63c, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
Vesna Gantner Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj25041343L

Keywords:

mastitis, selective dry cow therapy, cephapirin, environmental antibiotic emission, herd size

Abstract

The research aim was to quantify the use of cephapirin in dry cow therapy, to estimate the economic value and potential environmental emissions regarding the herd size. The analysis included a 307,531 test-day records from Holsteins and 383,208 from Simmental. Udder health status at the last milk recording before dry-off was classified according to SCC criteria, and the scenario assumed universal use of BDCT, 1.2 g cephapirin per cow (300 mg per quarter × 4). The estimated total amount of cephapirin was 369.0 kg in Holsteins and 459.8 kg in Simmentals. The economic cost of the application was €7.85 million in Holstein and €9.78 million in Simmental herds, with healthy cows generating the largest share of the cost due to their large numbers. The estimated environmental release was 221.4 kg for Holstein and 275.9 kg for Simmental, with PEC/PNEC ratios high above the risk threshold, RQ 4,428.41 and 5,518.19, respectively.

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