[Udder health care as part of a veterinary care program for dairy farms. I. Objectives and materials and methodology in the introductory phase].

Udder health plays an essential role in herd health and production control programmes both from the technical and economic point of view. A model of udder health control practicable on dairy farms is introduced in three papers. The present paper is concerned with the objectives of udder health control, as well as with the materials and methods required during the introductory phase of the programme. During the introductory phase of the programme, the current udder health status is assessed by an extensive farm interview and analysis of the records already available on the farm. The system of recording by the control programme is introduced. The model of this udder health control programme consists of five interrelated key factors.