Udder Health Management

Question 1

Udder Health

Answer 1

• supernumerary teats - extra teats
  - birth anomaly
  - 50% heifers
  - most do not open into a gland (no streak canal/duct)
  - removed before 2 months of age
• nutrition - not overfeeding
• clean environment - can pick up mastitis pathogens

Question 2

Mastitis

Answer 2

inflammation of the mammary gland

frequently associated with bacterial infections

Question 3

Why does mastitis matter?

Answer 3

1. Reduces milk production
2. Reduces profits
3. Consumers want safe milk

*food safety and welfare issue

Question 4

Why is the mammary gland so susceptible?

Answer 4

milk is a difficult place for immune cells and antibodies to function

blood-milk barrier gland - limits the help the immune system can provide

act of milking exposes the teat to the environment

Question 5

Costs of mastitis to the farmer

Answer 5

milk discarded (waste milk)
cow treatment costs (vet visit, meds)
labour ( hand milking, treating)
risk of drug residues (penalties)
risk of infection to other cows

Question 6

Somatic Cell Count

Answer 6

associated with the probability of bacterial infection
used for determining subclinicial mastitis
200,000 cells/ml - typical cut off point for infection
limit is 400, 000 or could get fined

Question 7

California mastitis test

Answer 7

detergent in solution reacts with DNA in neutrophils to form gels
cheap, fast and provides information at the quarter level (milk from each teat goes into a separate circle

Question 8

Contagious Transmission of Mastitis - Streptococcus agalactiae

Answer 8

extremely contagious

can be cured with penicillin

Question 9

Contagious Transmission of Mastitis - Staphylococcus Aureus

Answer 9

tends to establish chronic infections

poor response to antibodies - antimicrobial resistance problem

Question 10

Control of Contagious Mastitis

Answer 10

milking hygiene -washing udders - individual towels
segregation or elimination of infected quarters
milking infected cows last in milking line
selective culling

Question 11

Environmental Mastitis Transmission - Environmental Strep’s

Answer 11

• group of various species of varying virulence, chronicity and response to therapy
• generally cause clinical mastitis

Question 12

Environmental Mastitis Transmission - Coliforms - E.coli

Answer 12

live in manure (everywhere)
generally short lived
not responsive to anitbiotics

Question 13

Environmental Mastitis Transmission - Coliforms - Klebsiella

Answer 13

similar to E.coli
tends to establish chronic infection
high SCC

Question 14

Coliform Mastitis

Answer 14

bacteria invade udder and grow rapidly
infection is short but nasty
endotoxin absorbed into blood and attacks immune system
cow can quickly go from normal to severe

Question 15

Control of Environmental Mastitis

Answer 15

reduce teat contamination
vaccination against coliforms
nutrition to support immune function