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Outbreaks Of Clinical Mastitis

Outbreaks of clinical mastitis are sometimes seen in summer following a few hot, humid days. A major reason for such outbreaks relates to the things cows do to keep cool.

By Department of Primary Industries - 1st March 2006 - Back to News

On hot days, cows tend to congregate - and therefore dung - around watering troughs and in shaded areas. When this happens soon after milking, while the teat ends are still partly open, there is a good chance that some bacteria from the environment will enter the teat end.

Well-intentioned strategies to keep cows cool and comfortable can also result in dirty udders. For example, spraying the milking herd on entry to or exit from the dairy increases the amount of mud and faeces that is flicked around as the cows walk. Or using parking bays to hold cows that have left the shed provides a perfect venue for them to sit in the bacteria-containing mud/manure.

Cows are highly susceptible to mastitis if their teats come in contact with high numbers of bacteria, particularly when their natural ability to resist infection is compromised.

A few points to think about to help reduce the risk of bacteria from the environment causing mastitis:

· Wash wet dirty udders before milking and ensure they are dry before the cups go on. This is important for good milk quality and to reduce the opportunity for mastitis-causing bacteria to be carried to the teat opening. The best method is to use low-pressure hoses. During summer the heat makes "drip drying" a real possibility if cups-on occurs 30 to 90 seconds later.

· Spray or dip every teat with teat disinfectant after milking.

· Move the cows so that they don’t walk through (or sit down in) muddy yards for at least 30 minutes after cups are removed.

· Carry out routine checks of the milking machine to keep the teat skin and teat canal as healthy as possible.

· Flies may also interrupt good milking routines by making cows (not to mention milking staff) fidgety. Cow behaviour is a good indicator of cow comfort. If flies are plentiful and cows are stepping (lifting a foot off the concrete) before the machines are attached, review your fly control management.

In heatwaves it may also pay to spend a little extra time checking the foremilk for signs of clinical mastitis such as wateriness or clots in the milk that persists for more than 3 squirts.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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