Udder Health and BST

Is there a Need for Concern?

Abstract

"Higher production will hurt the small producer, increase stress and enhance disease". These cliches are not new and have accompanied most major changes in the dairy industry dealing with milk production. They are not all untruths, and many management changes have affected exposure and risk to both metabolic and infectious diseases which challenge our traditional approach to disease control. Understanding the new sciences and using them properly are challenges we must face in our herd health programs. Historically, the elimination of Streptococcus agalactiae in a herd has not assured the control of mastitis unless combined with measures to reduce other sources of infections in the herd. Lowering the somatic cell count in a herd results in increased production, but without proper environmental controls, increased clinical mastitis can offset the benefits of reduced subclinical mastitis. Most of our management changes have resulted in improved production, better milk quality or positive cost-benefits ration for the producer. Bovine somatotropin (BST) is the most recent scientific advancement in the industry, offering benefits but sharing concerns as seen in the past. Unlike other new advances, few improvements have received as much publicity or as much scientific research evaluation.