Mastitis Control Don Crowley Tom Weldon TeagascDairygold Mastitis

Mastitis Control Don Crowley, Tom Weldon Teagasc/Dairygold.

Mastitis Control/SCC Control • Don Crowley B. Agr. Sc • Tom Weldon B. Agr. Sc • Joint Program with Dairygold Co-op. • On-Farm Investigation • Recommendations to Tackle problem.

Teagasc Dairygold Joint Programme on Milk Quality Don Crowley, Tom Weldon & Ger Mc. Mahon Goals: • Reduce SCC & Mastitis Method: • • Visit farm at milking. (800 farms visited) Analyse Records, Equipment and Practices Recommendations made. Usually 1 follow up call

Results (SCC) of Farms Visited ’ 07 vs’ 08 27% 24% 13% 11%

Typical scenarios • Scenario 1: • A high cell count on a farm, but no cases of mastitis, using no tubes !!! • Scenario 2: • A farm with a low cell count, getting a lot of cases of Clinical mastitis and using a lot of tubes. • Scenario 3: • High incidence of E. coli mastitis.

Recent survey results: • 65% of clinical mastitis cases occurring in the first 5 Days of Lactation. • 5% in the second 5 days. • 30% in the remainder of lactation. Prevention is time well spent.

Mastitis 2 Categories of Bacteria • Contagious Bacteria: – Staph Aureus – Strep Agalactiae • Environmental Bacteria: – E. Coli – Strep Uberus

Approach to Mastitis Problem Assess the present situation • Farm Visit (at milking) • Costs: Co-op fines, tubes, treatments, vet bills, milk lost, cull rates • Labour, frustration • Analysis of records(not always available)

Farmer A Case Study - SCC 14 Unit parlour, no ACR’s, 100 cows (30 Aut, 70 Spring) 1700 Gallon average, 23% Replacement rate

Case Study Observations & Recommendations • Milking practices observed: • Cow teats scored for damage i. e. odema, congestion Hyperkeratosis 50% > score of 4 • Cow comfort and stress e. g. electrical issues measured • Milking machine tested

Case Study -Teat End Damage

Case Study Recommendations/Goals • Stop over milking (Teat end damage). • Stop spread of infection. • Pre-spray & dry wipe, • Disinfect clusters(between each cow) for 2 wks. • Wear gloves • Post spray all cows.

Case Study - Financial Reward • Bonus = € 3, 082. 00 • Additional milk sales = € 4, 500. 00 • Reduced Vet and tube = € 1, 500. 00 • 3 cows not culled = € 2, 200. 00 • Reward = € 11, 282. 00 pa

Main Mastitis Causes: • Main cause • Milking machine = 33% • Milking practices = 33% • Infection Control/Hygiene = 33%

Cubicle Bedding

Teat End Damage

Teat end damage

Teat end Damage