Keeping mastitis out of the herd is crucial at this stage, as many cows will be approaching peak milk production.
Peak milk production usually occurs approximately 50 to 60 days after calving, which will now be the case for herds that begin calving on February 1.
So, a mastitis outbreak now would severely impact your milk checks, especially if you start losing quarters.
As the spring calving period begins to wind down, it is still easy to allow the somatic cell count (SCC) to increase.
Although the first six weeks of calving are the most difficult, the majority of farmers have a great routine.
Whether it is fresh calf collections, performing the California Mastitis Test (CMT), or increased hygiene, effort is made to keep mastitis at bay.
But once farms reach this stage, they often relax protocols, and before they know it SCC is on the rise.
Keep mastitis out
When trying to keep mastitis at bay, it is important to remember that later calving calves will require the same level of attention as every cow calving before them.
There would be no harm in continuing to run the fresh birth kit so that it can be carefully monitored and given special treatment if necessary, in addition to the usual stripping and CMT checks.
Maintaining cleanliness in the parlor as well as the cow stalls that remain must also continue to keep the rest of the herd safe from infection.
It may also be useful to analyze your milking routine, as it is actually one of the most effective ways to keep SCC to a minimum.
If this has not been done yet, you should undertake a milk recording to understand how the drought has gone and pick out any problem cows, marking them for culling or hay for beef before the breeding season.
Milk recording will also greatly benefit farmers in making breeding decisions, as the best performing cows in the herd can be flagged for dairy artificial insemination (AI).
For farms that have not yet established milk records, they will have to monitor the SCC of their bulk tank closely to understand the current cell count status.
treatment
If mastitis reaches the herd at this time of year, preventing the spread of infection through the herd will be critical.
The infected cow must be separated from the herd immediately, milked after the main herd, and her group must be thoroughly disinfected after each milking.
If you are pre-spraying your flock, make sure the contact time is at least 30 seconds, then dry the spray with a paper towel before banding.
Be sure to calibrate automatic group removers (ACR) to avoid over-milking resulting in damage to the teat end.
If there are no ACRs in place, remove the group when a single stream of milk is visible.
Once a cow has been milked, farmers should use the correct post-milking teat disinfectant at approximately 15ml per cow/milking, ensuring the teat is completely covered.
If cows have had a rise in squamous cell carcinoma for some time and show no signs of improvement, a sample should be taken from the affected quarter(s) and sent to a laboratory to determine the pathogen causing the rise in squamous cell carcinoma.
Allergy testing will identify the pathogen causing the disease as well as the correct antibiotic to use as treatment.
