Skip to main content

Table 5 Comparison of complete case and multiple imputation models

From: Farm characteristics and management routines related to cow longevity: a survey among Swedish dairy farmers

Variable

Models with all 17 selected predictorsa

Final modelsb

Complete case analysis

(n = 131)

Multiple imputation

(n = 228)

Complete case analysis

(n = 156)

Multiple imputation

(n = 228)

Confounders forced into model

 Age of farmer

4.71**

5.06***

7.15***

5.45***

 Herd size

0.13

0.1

− 0.03

0.01

 Housing

  

  Tie stall

Reference

   

  Free stall

95.80*

− 18.21

73.65*

30.55

Region

 South Sweden

Reference

   

 East Sweden

13.21

− 67.1

10.02

− 49.54

 West Sweden

− 43.05

− 103.93*

− 53.1

− 104.32*

 Middle Sweden

− 117.93

− 171.90**

− 119.62

− 143.15*

 North Sweden

− 49.84

− 130.49*

− 70.88

− 140.06**

Predictors available for selection

 Expected future herd size

  Same or fewer

Reference

   

  Expand

− 48.23

− 77.56*

  

Probability that the farm will still be operating in 5 year

− 7.8

− 0.94

  

Interest in animal breeding (genetic selection)

− 0.6

− 16.11

 

− 21.09**

Composition of workforce

  

 Only family members

Reference

   

 Employee(s)

− 37.05

− 50.03

  

Used preventive herd health advisory services during the last year

 No

Reference

   

 Yes

− 43.1

− 107.33**

− 121.41***

− 124.26***

Used breeding advisory services during the last year

  

 No

Reference

   

 Yes

86.87*

113.21**

108.87**

116.88**

Calving occurs in individual calving pens

 No

Reference

   

 Only individual calving pens

− 24.02

− 60.42

  

Average time for dry-off (d)

− 1.11

1.69

  

Call veterinarian when recognizing a lame cow

8.62

6.04

  

Move to isolation pen when recognizing a lame cow

− 7.14

− 9.89

  

Call veterinarian when recognizing

an unhealthy cow

15.08

16.70*

 

22.59***

Move to isolation pen when recognizing an unhealthy cow

9.39

5.12

  

Initiate treatment on my own when recognizing unhealthy cows

− 8.79

− 4.69

− 16.14***

 

Intercept

1295.35***

1483.90***

1317.05***

1366.83***

  1. Comparison of full and final models from both the complete case and the multiple imputation models of associations between management practices and average herd longevity (*P < 0.1, **P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001)