The Latest in Mastitis Control and Management

Abstract

This is a very interesting topic because there have not been major changes in mastitis control and management. The secret is still to pay attention to the "Mastitis Triangle," which means looking at the people milking the cows, the equipment, and the cow's environment. The most successful milk quality programs are those that look at the whole picture.

Instead of dealing with problem high-somatic cell count (SCC) herds, the biggest opportunities are with well-managed dairies trying to improve their milk quality program. These dairies want to milk more cows in less time, and control clinical mastitis and SCC. Working to change lag times for better let-downs, having the right vacuum in the claw during peak milk flow or changing automatic take-off (ATO) settings to shorten milking duration are ways to change milking performance. Assisting the farm to develop better cow traffic patterns and faster loading will also improve the performance.

By improving milk quality you can affect the profitability of a dairy. There is no one better to accomplish this than a large animal veterinarian. The opportunity is huge for those that are willing to get involved with their dairy farms.