Investigation of mastitis

Question 1

Name 4 aspects of herd health planning

Answer 1

Where are we now?
Investigate
Implement changes
Have things improved?

Question 2

What is the target for clinical mastitis?

Answer 2

<200,000 cells/ml in Bulk Milk (prevalence; indicates proportion of quarters infected, usually subclinically on the day of sampling)

Question 3

How should mastitis be classified?

Answer 3

Contagious, environmental or both

Question 4

What mastitis records are important? 2

Answer 4

cases/100 cows/year (variable accuracy)

Number of AB intra-mammary treatments sold and calculate the number of tubes used per case

Question 5

What are problem cows? 2

Answer 5

repeat cases of clinical mastitis (>3 cases in same lactation)
individual cell count persistently high (>200,000/ml in 2 or more months)

Question 6

What to do with problem cows? 3

Answer 6

Cull
Isolate and milk last
Treat (affected quarter identified by CMT and bacteriology. use approporiate and prolonged ABs)

Question 7

How should you check milking routine

Answer 7

Go for early morning milking and stay a long time, don’t tell herdsman his job, observe and listen, suggest courteously

Question 8

What parlour procedures should be observed? 10

Answer 8

general hygiene, pre dip?, strip and wipe teat, teats clean and dry?, paper towels/cloths?, stimulation, liner slips, overmilking, post dipping, relaxed cows

Question 9

What is the 5 point plan?

Answer 9

1. ) early detection and immediate treatment
2. ) PMTD
3. ) USe DCT ABs
4. ) Cull (>3 cases in one lactation or persistent high SCC)
5. ) good maintenance of milking machine

Question 10

How should environment be assessed? 4

Answer 10

Look at cows
Cow cleanliness score
Cubicles
Cow Comfort Index (target < 15%)

Question 11

Define cow comfort index

Answer 11

the proportion of cows that are standing one hour before milking

Question 12

Are bactoscan and total bacteria count (TBC) the same?

Answer 12

No - TBC was phased out in 1992 and replaced by Bactoscan which gives an indication of the number of bacteria in the milk

Question 13

Bactoscan requirement is?

Answer 13

< 50, 000/ml

Question 14

Bactoscan target should be?

Answer 14

< 20,000/ml

Question 15

What are the 4 sources of bacteria in milk?

Answer 15

1. ) mastitis milk
2. ) contamination from faeces (e.g. at milking, dirty teat, wet teat, dirty hands etc)
3. ) milking machine dirty (not washing properly, cheese in pipes)
4. ) failure of refrigeration (must be 4 degrees in bulk tank)

Question 16

When are bactoscan samples taken?

Answer 16

At random by milk tanker lorry driver, at least once a week (usually 4-5 times/month)

Question 17

What is the milk sample tested for? 7

Answer 17

Bulk SCC
Bactoscan
Fat and protein (some companies stricter than others)
Urea or MUN (milk urea nitrogen)
ABs
Water

Question 18

Why is the random milk sample important?

Answer 18

the farmer gets paid depending on the results

Question 19

What should you always do when you do bacteriology of cases?

Answer 19

Report the results back to farmer!

Question 20

What should you look at teat ends for?

Answer 20

look for keratin fronds at the teat end as this prevents the orifice from closing properly.

Question 21

What else should you do during a mastitis investigation?

Answer 21

spend time on farm, look, listen, talk to farmer/staff, all about husbandry and people, keep going back as an ongoing relationship is essential.

Huge overlap with feeding, lameness, LDAs etc