Re-thinking Clinical Mastitis Therapy

Abstract

The course of treatment for clinical mastitis varies greatly from farm to farm. In most large herds (500 cows or greater), a cow is separated from the production herd when clinical mastitis is detected by abnormal milk. Abnormal milk is an indication of a problem that can occur with or without swelling and fever. When clinical mastitis is brought to the attention of the herdsman, he must make the decision to move the cow and start treatment. Unfortunately, this is often the point where treatment decisions are based on experience and opinions, rather than good scientific guidelines and protocols. In order to implement an effective clinical protocol, it is useful to determine the cause of infection and implement a treatment protocol that is specific for that type of infection. A good treatment protocol can reduce antibiotic use with fewer days of unsaleable milk.