Mastitis Control and Intramammary Antimicrobial Stewardship in Ireland: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

The Veterinary Medicines Regulation (EU 2019/6) came into force in all EU member states on 28 January 2022. This regulation places particular emphasis on prudent and responsible antimicrobial use in food animal production. Key changes include restrictions on the prophylactic use of antimicrobials in animals, and the possibility to reserve certain antimicrobials for humans only. The Regulation presents challenges to the Irish dairy industry, particularly with respect to current approaches to dry cow therapy. In response, the CellCheck technical working group (TWG, a technical group working in support of CellCheck, the national mastitis control programme) have developed pragmatic national and farm-level recommendations in support of improved mastitis control and intramammary antimicrobial stewardship in the Irish dairy industry. This paper outlines these recommendations, and provides an overview of the evidence considered to inform the TWG during its work (including the Regulation, policy perspectives, international best-practice, international scientific reviews and specific Irish challenges). In many key areas of concern, the TWG recognises the challenges in seeking to shape recommendations in the absence of robust and practical scientific evidence. For this reason, some of the recommended actions are pragmatic in nature, informed by national and international experiences. Periodic programme review will be needed, informed by ongoing monitoring of key performance indicators, to identify those actions that are most effective in an Irish context.

Antimicrobial Resistance of Cattle Mastitis-Causing Bacteria: How to Treat?

“…Mastitis (42%) and respiratory disease (20%) are the main indications for antimicrobial use in cattle in Europe [30,31]. Considering an estimated 60-70% of all antimicrobials used on dairy farms are for preventing and treating mastitis [6], further efforts to improve mastitis control may significantly contribute to reduction in the use of antimicrobials [32]. The rules laid down in the Veterinary Medicines Regulation in the EU [33], which provide a wide range of measures to fight AMR, including the prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials in (food-producing) animals, the restrictions on prophylactic and metaphylactic use in animals, and reserving certain antimicrobials for the treatment of infections in people, have been applied from 2022.…”

“…The rules laid down in the Veterinary Medicines Regulation in the EU [33], which provide a wide range of measures to fight AMR, including the prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials in (food-producing) animals, the restrictions on prophylactic and metaphylactic use in animals, and reserving certain antimicrobials for the treatment of infections in people, have been applied from 2022. In response, pragmatic national and farm-level recommendations in support of improved mastitis control and intramammary antimicrobial stewardship in the Irish dairy industry have developed [32]. The measures applied in Denmark and the Netherlands showed substantial reducing on-farm antimicrobial usage over the last decade [32].…”

“…In response, pragmatic national and farm-level recommendations in support of improved mastitis control and intramammary antimicrobial stewardship in the Irish dairy industry have developed [32]. The measures applied in Denmark and the Netherlands showed substantial reducing on-farm antimicrobial usage over the last decade [32]. The shared actions included a ban on the prophylactic use of antimicrobials, a national database of antimicrobial usage allowing objective measurement and benchmarking and transparent reporting, clarity on the level of veterinary oversight required, detailed treatment guidelines, national reduction targets in antimicrobial usage, and restrictions on the usage of specific antimicrobials.…”

“…Improving udder health at farm level is based on the reduction in duration of existing intramammary infection and reducing the incidence of new intramammary infection [4]. The "five-point plan" in the UK (routine maintenance of milking machines, post-milking teat disinfection, identification and antimicrobial treatment of clinical cases, whole herd antimicrobial dry-cow therapy and the culling of chronically infected cows) has been very effective in managing contagious pathogens until the rise in environmental pathogens and, therefore a need for some adaptations [32]. Following the ten-point mastitis control programme by National Mastitis Council (NMC) of USA was based on ten steps: 1. establishment of goals for udder health, 2. maintenance of a clean, dry, comfortable environment, 3. proper milking procedures, 4. proper maintenance and use of milking equipment, 5. good record keeping, 6. appropriate management of Antimicrobial Resistance of Cattle Mastitis-Causing Bacteria: How to Treat?…”

Regional-Scale Analysis of Antimicrobial Usage in Smallholder Cattle Herds (Aosta Valley, Italy): Why Surveillance Matters

“…Monitoring AMU is pivotal to guide and to verify the effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions aimed at reducing and optimising usage [5]. In livestock, AMS encompasses a series of actions aimed at reducing the risk of infectious disease occurrence (biosecurity and management), optimising the treatment regime (dosage, duration and Antibiotics 2024, 13, 204 2 of 14 route) and prudent AMU [6][7][8]. The latter involves both the veterinarian in the choice of the appropriate antimicrobial and the farmer in the correct administration of said antimicrobial [6].…”