Control of mastitis in dairy cattle

 Controlling mastitis in dairy cattle is crucial for maintaining herd health, milk production, and overall profitability. Here’s a guide to the most effective practices for preventing and managing mastitis:

1. Hygiene and Milking Routine

• Proper Milking Procedures: Ensure udders are clean before milking. Pre-milking teat disinfection using iodine or chlorhexidine-based solutions helps reduce bacterial contamination.
• Post-Milking Teat Dip: Apply a disinfectant dip immediately after milking to seal the teat end and prevent bacteria from entering.
• Milking Machine Maintenance: Regularly service and clean milking machines to prevent injuries to the teat and reduce bacterial transmission.
• Milker Hygiene: Milk handlers should wear clean gloves and ensure proper hand sanitation to prevent the spread of pathogens.

2. Udder Health Management

• Dry Cow Therapy: Use antibiotics to treat existing infections during the dry period and apply teat sealants to prevent new infections.
• Selective Dry Cow Therapy (SDCT): Target cows with a history of mastitis or high somatic cell counts (SCC) for treatment, reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics.
• Monitoring SCC: Regularly monitor the somatic cell count in milk to detect early signs of mastitis. High SCC indicates udder inflammation and possible infection.

3. Nutrition and Immunity

• Balanced Diet: Ensure cows receive a balanced diet rich in energy, protein, vitamins (especially A, E), and trace minerals (zinc, selenium) to boost immunity.
• Hydration: Maintain clean water sources to promote good health and milk production.
• Immune Boosting: Supplement feed with immune-boosting additives such as probiotics, prebiotics, and yeast.

4. Environmental Management

• Clean Bedding: Use dry, clean bedding to prevent bacterial growth. Straw, sand, or organic matter can be used as bedding, but should be changed frequently.
• Ventilation: Ensure good ventilation in barns to reduce humidity, which promotes bacterial growth.
• Pasture Management: If grazing, rotate pastures to avoid excessive mud and contamination with manure.

5. Treatment and Culling

• Early Detection: Detect mastitis early using strip cup tests or California Mastitis Test (CMT) for milk abnormalities.
• Antibiotic Treatment: Administer antibiotics as prescribed by a veterinarian for clinical cases. Be mindful of withdrawal periods to ensure milk safety.
• Culling Chronic Cases: Repeated cases of mastitis in the same cow may necessitate culling to protect the rest of the herd.

6. Vaccination

• Streptococcus and Staphylococcus Vaccines: Vaccinate cows against the most common mastitis-causing bacteria.
• E. coli Vaccination: In herds with a history of coliform mastitis, consider vaccination against E. coli.

7. Record Keeping

• Maintain accurate records of each cow's health status, SCC readings, and mastitis history. This helps with targeted interventions and monitoring progress.

By adopting a holistic approach that includes good milking hygiene, cow health management, environmental controls, and proper nutrition, mastitis can be significantly reduced in dairy cattle.