Vet Codes

DairyComp uses vet codes to establish which animals to add to a vet list. A vet code indicates the reason why an animal needs to be examined by the veterinarian. Vet codes are applied to an animal's record based on the animal's reproductive code and time factors related to that reproductive code. For example, a vet code of FRSH is set for all animals with a reproductive code of 2 (FRESH) and a DIM (days in milk) value greater than 25. Similarly, a vet code of PREG is set for animals with a reproductive code of BRED and a DSHL (days since last heat) value greater than 40.

NOTE: You can change the criteria of vet codes to control when they are applied to vet lists. See Define Vet Codes to learn more.

When you run a VETLIST command, the system searches through the cowfile for vet codes and creates a vet list based on those codes. Each animal in the list can then be examined by the vet according to the indicated vet code (e.g., pregnant (PREG), overdue (ODUE), etc.).

A vet code remains assigned to an animal until it is addressed or replaced by another code. CHECK, BRED, or HEAT events set the vet code. If no code is present, the VETLIST command looks at the animal's record to try to meet the criteria set in the veterinary code table.

It is important to remember that only one veterinary code can be assigned to each animal, and this is done on a "first come, first served" basis. Either the code already exists or, using the veterinary code table, the first criteria met will determine the code for the animal.

For example, let's say an animal has been bred 43 days ago and has a heat interval of 8 days. The veterinary code 3 (PREG) will be set in her record since PREG is above CYST in the veterinary code table.

  • The VETLIST command sets and resets veterinary codes. An exception is VC=1, which manually flags an animal for a veterinary check and is not reset.
  • The VETLIST command sets veterinary codes by first looking at the animal's record and seeing if a veterinary code exists. If there is no veterinary code present, the program examines the items in the animal's record to see if they meet any of the conditions in the veterinary code table (such as days in milk and RC=2 or FRESH), or in the command abbreviation (such as PEN=2-4).
  • Three events can set vet codes directly; these are CHECK, which sets the vet code to 1 (CHCK), and either HEAT or BRED when they occur on a pregnant animal, which sets the code to 6 (ABT?).
  • The vet code for an animal is set to the first one that meets the criteria in the numbered veterinary code table.

  • You can clear an unwanted vet code by entering VC=0 for the animal(s).

When you define a vet code, you set the parameters by which that vet code is assigned to animals. These parameters are set in the VetList Options window. To open this window, enter ALTER in the command line and select option 5, Veterinary list.

The window contains the following information about each vet code:

  • VC: The vet code number.
  • VETC: The abbreviated reason for the veterinary exam (e.g., ODUE for overdue, FVAC for Fresh Cow Vaccine, etc.)
  • Y/N: Indicates whether or not the vet code is enabled (Yes or No).
  • Value: The numerical value applied to the vet code's formula. For example, the number of days to apply to the overdue (ODUE) vet code, or the number of bred cows that need a GNRH shot (GNHB).
  • Description: A brief description of the vet code. See Standard DC305 Vet Codes to learn more.

To edit a vet code, highlight the code in the list and click Change [F2] (or press the F2 key). Alternatively, you can double-click on the vet code. From there you can edit the code's values in its parameters window, including its Name, Value, and whether or not it's Enabled.

The vet codes shown here are taken directly from the veterinary code table in DairyComp. If the vet checks for your dairy have been modified, please note that you may see different vet code (VC) numbers and vet checks than the ones shown as examples here. There are 11 default vet codes that you will see, as well as the custom vet codes defined for your DairyComp setup:

The check code adds an animal to the list because the dairy specifically wants this animal checked the next time the veterinarian visits.

The fresh code is for dairies that need the veterinarian to examine animals before they will begin breeding them. The value of 14 tells DC305 to include an animal whose RPRO status is Fresh on the first vet check after the animal is 14 days in milk.

The pregnant code adds animals to the list for pregnancy checks. A value of 35 indicates that veterinarian should perform a pregnancy check on animals during the first herd check after the animals are 35 days since last heat.

The recheck for pregnancy code is for dairies that want to verify an animal is still pregnant and hasn't aborted. It is to recheck animals for pregnancy.

The overdue code adds animals who are pregnant and are now 300 or more DCC (days carrying calf/pregnant). It is to make sure those animals are not accidentally overlooked in the dry pen.

Often if a dairy sees a pregnant animal showing signs of heat they may breed her. When this breeding is entered in DC305, the animal remains pregnant, but the ABORT? flag instructs the veterinarian to determine if she is still pregnant to the original breeding or if she has aborted and should be returned to the BRED status.

The cystic code lists animals that are re-bred within 10 days of the previous breeding.

NOTE: If an animal is re-bred within 2 days, it is considered the same heat and not suspected cystic behavior.

The no heat code with a value of 30 flags animals that were previously bred, called open, and have not been successfully re-bred yet. A typical estrus cycle is 21 days, heat to heat, so if you check for pregnancy at 35 days, and the animal was checked open, you know that she has already missed at least 2 heats.

The no heat code with a value of 90 flags animals that are too far into their current lactation without being bred. In this case the animal would have to be 90 days in milk and not yet have been bred.

The problem code indicates that an animal is a problem breeder and should be included on the vet list every herd check until the animal gets pregnant. In this case animals more than 150 days open are listed until they become pregnant.

If activated, the XBRD code will list animals that are bred 3 or more times until they become pregnant.

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