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Mastitis in Dairy Cows
Mastitis is an infectious disease causing an inflammatory reaction in the mammary gland of a cow. It is the most common disease in dairy cattle characterized by various degrees of severity—ranging from a mild disease with no gross changes but an increase in inflammatory cells in the milk to a moderate disease with an increase in inflammatory cells and gross changes in the milk.
Ecolab experts understand the different types of mastitis that can affect dairy cows and the strategies to prevent them. We are here to help protect your farm, your cows and your profit.
The Cost of Mastitis
Mastitis is of significant economic importance to milk producers, with both direct and indirect costs as a consequence. The economic loss from one single case of clinical mastitis ranges from $200–$300. Additionally, mastitis adversely affects reproductive performance of dairy cows and on average, it takes 40 days longer to get cows pregnant that have had a case of mastitis compared to herd mates that have not had a case of mastitis. Treating clinical mastitis requires the producer to pay for increased labor and treatment and to absorb the cost of milk discard; it also increases the risk of antibiotic residue in the bulk tank.
Learn about teat dips to clean and disinfect teats, improve teat condition and reduce mastitis infection pressure.
Mastitis Prevention in Dairy Cows
Mastitis is caused by contagious pathogens and environmental factors. Although good housing hygiene helps reduce the infection pressure, good teat preparation during milking acts as a final barrier to infection by mastitis-causing bacteria.
Types of Mastitis
- Clinical Mastitis (Environmental Model)
Clinical mastitis is an inflammatory response to infection causing visibly abnormal milk changes resulting in discoloration or clots. Changes in the udder including swelling, heat, pain or redness may also be apparent. Clinical cases that include local signs only are referred to as mild or moderate. If the inflammatory response includes systemic involvement of fever, anorexia or shock, the case is termed severe.
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Subclinical Mastitis (Contagious Model)
Mastitis can exist in the absence of visible signs of infection and is then referred to as subclinical mastitis. Subclinical mastitis is the most prevalent form of mastitis. Detection is best done by examination of milk for somatic cell counts using either the California Mastitis Test equipment that measures the somatic cell count in a milk sample. Somatic cell counts are positively correlated with the presence of infection. The higher the somatic cell count in a herd bulk tank, the higher the prevalence of infection in the herd. Reduced milk production constitutes the major cost component of the total economic loss caused by subclinical mastitis and it can be very expensive.
Steps to Preventing Mastitis
Pre-Milking
Good teat preparation not only helps to prevent a mastitis infection, it can also have a positive effect on milk yields and quality. Pre-milking teat disinfection also helps improve the storage quality and the flavor of the milk.
Effective teat preparation involves three key steps: Cleaning, disinfection and stimulation. The pre-milking protocol plays a crucial role in stimulating milk flow and enhancing the milk let-down reflex. Beyond mastitis prevention, pre-milking teat cleaning and disinfection positively impact milk quality. They extend the milk’s shelf life and enhance its flavor.
Milking
In order to reduce cross-contamination, clusters should be disinfected between milking each cow. Ideally, this practice should be extended to the whole herd.
Disinfecting of the clusters should occur after milking cows with mastitis and high somatic cells counts but before milking freshly calved cows. To minimize risks, it's important to milk cows with mastitis or elevated somatic cell counts at the end of the milking process.
Post Milking
The most effective action against germs is disinfecting teats before and after milking, which help prevent cross contamination.
- Kill Bacteria: Prevent new infections by eliminating bacteria on teats immediately after removing the liners.
- Create a Barrier: Disinfection establishes a protective barrier on the teat that remains effective for more than 30 minutes.
- Cosmetic Benefits: Post-milking disinfection contributes to maintaining good skin condition for teats.
When selecting a post-dip product, consider factors such as the specific issue, teat skin condition and the farm’s climate and bedding.
