Detecting Mastitis

Why is it important?

Clinical cases of mastitis are costly to the business and disrupt the milking routine. If clinical cases are missed, they contribute high numbers of cells into the vat; this can significantly increase bulk milk somatic cell counts (BMSCC).

Finding mastitis quickly

Rapid detection and treatment of clinical cases means fewer chronic infections develop, and less chance of infection being passed to other cows. This requires milking staff to be aware of signs that indicate clinical infections and situations that increase the risk of mastitis spread.

Rapidly finding and treating clinical cases in the calving period reduces the risk of milk quality grades. It also reduces the likelihood of infection being passed to other cows, and the development of chronic infections.

Cases that require treatment are those where there is heat, swelling or signs of pain in the udder, and/or changes in the milk (wateriness, clots, discolouration) that persist for more than three squirts of milk. Only treating cases with these symptoms helps avoid wasting antibiotics on cases that may otherwise clear up on their own.

Finding clinical mastitis

Clinical cases of mastitis are costly and disrupt milking. Missed clinical cases increase the bulk milk SCC, spread infection to other cows and are harder to cure when they are found.

You have a problem finding clinical cases if you have:

• Clots on the milk filter after every milking
• SCC grades
• SCC alerts or warnings
• Spikes in SCC (+50,000 cells/ml)
• Upward trend in SCC steeper than target curve
• SCC above industry average
• Above average SCC and annual clinical case below average

Your options include:

• Work out value of improving mastitis control>
• Strip herd to find missed clinicals
• Find high SCC cows. Arrange emergency herd test or check herd with an RMT (Rapid Mastitis Test). Closer inspection may reveal clinical signs.
• Get help - a second pair of eyes (vet, milk quality advisor) can help spot problems with your systems. Go to:
• Accredited vets
• Your dairy company milk quality advisors
• Milk quality consultants: AsureQuality and QCONZ

Having too many clinical cases of mastitis

Why is this important?

• Too many clinical cases are costly to the farm business, and disrupt milking.
• High numbers of clinical cases may indicate problems with:
  • Preventing mastitis before calving
  • Preventing mastitis in lactation
  • Missing cases in the colostrum period
  • Treating cases that did not meet the definition of a case requiring treatment.

You have a problem with clinical mastitis if:

• More than 15 cases/100 cows treated annually
• Your herd is performing above trigger on Mastitis Focus Report i.e.
  • Above 8 cases/100 cows calved for monthly clinical case rate at calving
  • Above 16 cases/100 first calvers calved for first calver clinical case rate
  • Above 1 case/100 cows in milk for monthly clinical case rate in lactation (all cows)

Your options include:

• Work out value of reducing clinical mastitis. Use the SmartSAMM Gap Calculator.
• Work out when clinical mastitis is affecting your herd. See your Mastitis Focus Report for key areas to focus on.
• Review prevention systems.
• Review detection systems. Poor detection in colostrum period may mean too many clinical cases in milking herd.
• Review treatment systems. Make sure that cows to be treated meet the definition of a clinical case. See definition in:
• Get help - a second pair of eyes (vet, milk quality advisor) can help spot problems with your systems. Go to:
  • Accredited vets
  • Your dairy company milk quality advisors
  • Milk quality consultants: AsureQuality and QCONZ.