Using diagnostics to justify intervention strategies

摘要

The key behind every successful treatment decision is having an accurate problem assessment. The challenge to that activity is the lack of time, resources and in some cases the absences of level thinking. Fortunately that is where the swine veterinarian is uniquely qualified and with a little bit of honest effort can provide incredible value to the system. Diagnostics applied to animal health comes in two forms: what HAS happened and what IS happening. Analysis of both of these aspects is the underlying "secret" to providing a repeatable successful treatment regiment. I use the word "secret" as it pertains to animal health assurance and production animal agriculture because it is a very grey concept. For here the question always consists of one defined by "economic value" by our customers (the pork consumer) and not necessarily one defined as "absence of disease". Confusion over this concept and falling into the trap of everyday time/priority constraints leads to many missed opportunities for the swine veterinarian to shine. This is what I believe is the root cause for the animosity between veterinarians and operational management in production systems today.