Methods of reducing the incidence of udder infection in dry cows

Smith, A.; Neave, F. K.; Dodd, F. H.

doi:10.1136/vr.79.8.233

Cited by 40 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Almost 60 per cent of the EDP herds were not selecting dry cow therapy (DCT) at cow level in this study (DCT products selected according to the infection status at drying-off) and this was made a priority in 45 per cent of the herds not doing so ( Table 3 ). Whole-herd antibiotic DCT has been recommended as part of the five-point plan for several decades ( Neave and others 1969 ) with the aim of curing existing intramammary infections (IMIs) and preventing new IMIs during this time ( Smith and others 1966 ). There is, however, a growing body of evidence showing potential advantages of selecting DCT at the cow level rather than the herd level due to the impact of total antimicrobial usage on the farm ( Scherpenzeel and others 2014 ) as well as a reduction in CM caused by Gram-negative bacteria ( Bradley and others 2010 ) and a reduced overall risk of CM in the first 30 days of lactation ( Green and others 2007b ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current management practices and interventions prioritised as part of a nationwide mastitis control plan

Down

Bradley²,

Breen³

et al. 2016

Veterinary Record

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The objectives of this study were to report performance and management data taken from a sample of UK dairy farms that have participated in the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Dairy Mastitis Control Plan (DMCP) and to identify important mastitis prevention practices that are not currently widely implemented. A total of 234 UK dairy herds were included in the study from which farm management and udder health data were collected. Herds were grouped according to their mastitis epidemiology and could be classed as (i) environmental dry period (EDP) (i.e. environmental pathogen with majority of infections being acquired during the dry period), (ii) environmental lactation (EL), (iii) contagious dry period (CDP) or (iv) contagious lactation (CL). The results of this study showed that many mastitis-related management practices that are generally considered to be important were not widely performed. A better understanding of those practices not widely adopted by UK dairy farmers at present may aid practitioners in identifying and overcoming potential barriers to improved mastitis control.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current management practices and interventions prioritised as part of a nationwide mastitis control plan

Down

Bradley²,

Breen³

et al. 2016

Veterinary Record

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“…Reported prevalence of infection at dry-off, due to any pathogen, ranges from 28% to 50% on a cow level (Smith et al 1966; Rindsig et al 1978; Browning et al 1994). Diagnosing IMI based on single samples considered the epidemiology of the mastitis pathogens (i.e., possible source and type of organisms) by using different cfu cut-offs for major contagious and environmental organisms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using dairy herd improvement records and clinical mastitis history to identify subclinical mastitis infections at dry-off

Torres

Rajala‐Schultz

DeGraves

et al. 2008

Journal of Dairy Research

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Interest in selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) has been increasing owing to concerns over development of antimicrobial resistance. Implementation of SDCT, however, requires a quick and cost-effective on-farm method for identifying cows for treatment and cows that can be left without treatment. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of clinical mastitis (CM) history and somatic cell counts (SCC) from monthly Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) records in identification of infected and uninfected cows at dry-off. A total of 647 Holstein cows were classified as uninfected or infected at dry-off based on CM history and varying number of monthly SCC records (with three different SCC cut-offs). Cows were considered uninfected based on the following criteria: (1) SCC <100,000 cells/ml and no CM during the lactation; (2) SCC <200,000 cells/ml and no CM during the lactation; (3) as criterion two, but additionally a cow was also considered uninfected if it experienced a case of CM during the first 3 months of the lactation and the SCC was <100,000 cells/ml for the rest of the lactation; (4) SCC <300,000 cells/ml and no CM during the lactation; otherwise they were considered infected. Infected and uninfected cows at dry-off were most efficiently identified using three months' SCC records with a threshold of 200,000 cells/ml for cows without CM during the lactation and a threshold of 100,000 cells/ml during the rest of lactation for cows with CM during the first 90 days in milk. Moreover, this criterion also most efficiently identified cows infected with major pathogens only at dry-off. The success of the criteria used for identifying infected and uninfected cows will, however, depend on herd characteristics, such as prevalence of infection and type of pathogens present in the herd.

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“…The original trials developing dry cow treatment (DCT) with antibiotics showed a prophylactic benefit of 82% reduction in the rate of new intramammary infections in the dry period as well as a much higher rate of eliminating infections than achieved by treating in lactation (Smith et al 1967). In practical use the benefit has been shown to average 67%.…”

Section: Treating Mastitis In Nonlactating Cowsmentioning

confidence: 99%