Mastitis Control

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Mastitis Control
Don Crowley, Tom Weldon Teagasc/Dairygold.
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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.

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Teagasc Dairygold Joint Programme on Milk
QualityDon Crowley, Tom Weldon Ger McMahon

• Goals
• Reduce SCC Mastitis
• Method
• Visit farm at milking.(800 farms visited)
• Analyse Records, Equipment and Practices
• Recommendations made.
• Usually 1 follow up call

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Results (SCC) of Farms Visited 07 vs08
27
24
13
11
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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.

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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.

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Mastitis2 Categories of Bacteria

• Contagious Bacteria
• Staph Aureus
• Strep Agalactiae
• Environmental Bacteria
• E. Coli
• Strep Uberus

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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)

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Case Study - SCC

• Farmer A
• 14 Unit parlour, no ACRs, 100 cows (30 Aut, 70
  Spring)
• 1700 Gallon average, 23 Replacement rate

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Case StudyObservations Recommendations

• Milking practices observed
• Cow teats scored for damage i.e.
• odema, congestion Hyperkeratosis 50 gt score of
  4
• Cow comfort and stress e.g. electrical issues
  measured
• Milking machine tested

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Case Study -Teat End Damage
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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.

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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

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Main Mastitis Causes

• Main cause
• Milking machine 33
• Milking practices 33
• Infection Control/Hygiene 33

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Cubicle Bedding
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Teat End Damage
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Teat end damage
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Teat end Damage