Mastitis meeting
(Continued from Page A 34)
secretory cells where there is scar
tissue.” A high SCC indicates that
the milk secretory tissue is being
replaced with scar tissue, ac
cording to Hutchinson. Dairymen
need to initiate control of new
infections.
Hutchinson observed that the
majority of new infections occur in
the two weeks following drying off
and then again right before and
after freshening. They can be
defined as either contagious
organisms or enviromental
organisms, he explained. Con
tagious organisms are the Strep
Ag, Staph Aureous, and Strep Non-
Ag that live inside the udder and
are spread from cow to cow during
the milking process.
Environmental organisms are
the coliforms that can live in stalls,
mud, water, ponds, and are
present in any dirty environment.
Hutchinson explained that the
environmental organisms can be
treated in an udder and when
cleared up the udder is rid of them.
However, with the contagious
organisms the udder always
carries them and a chronic cow
must usually be culled to prevent
spreading within the herd.
Hutchinson went on to discuss
the different methods and potential
for control of the various types of
mastitis.
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“I recommend dry treating
every cow, every quarter,” Hut
chinson stated. Dry treatment
works against the contagious
organisms and is designed to
prevent a cow from becoming
infected during her dry period.
Although some herds may ex
perience resistance problems,
Hutchinson added, the major
products on the market today will
work in 90% of the herds.
Teat dipping kills the bacteria
left on the end of the teat or on the
milk drop on the teat after
milking. This practice also works
on the contagious organisms
in the herd. “It’s very possible by
using teat dipping, of getting the
contagious bacteria down in your
herd up to 70% over a number of
years,” Hutchinson stated.
The better teat dips, he advised,
are the 1% iodine teat dips and
those containing chlorohexidine in
water of glycerine. It is not
necessary to change teat dips if the
dip seems to be working in the herd
and a good teat dip will not carry
infection from quarter to quarter,
Hutchinson added. He also stated
that Chlorox was a good product to
use but not approved for this use. A
four percent dilution is needed.
In choosing a product, Hut
chinson advised selection on the
amount of information • and
research given on a specific
product. Regarding cold weather
and teat dipping, Hutchinson
advised parlor and freestall
situations to cease dipping when
temperatures drop below 20
degrees, but to resume again as
soon as possible. Barrier teat dips
tend to be more effective on en
vironment organisms, but not as
effective on contagious organisms.
Clean dry udders and clean stall
beds reduce the amount of en
vironment organisms infecting the
udder. Hutchinson added that the
type of bedding used does make a
big difference in controlling.,
mastitis and is especially im
portant in hot weather conditioina.
Hydrated lime can also be used in
stalls to dry them out somewhat,
Hutchinson added, but too much of
the lime in wet conditions can lead
to chapping and burning the teat
ends.
Recent research has shown that
backflushing does not control
mastitis significantly, although it
has been.shown to flush out the
mycoplasma organisms prevalent
in only a few herds. Pre-dipping
cows before milking is also another
new practice with few merits. It
does have some advantage in
killing environment organisms but
is known to increase the iodine
levels in milk.
Intramammary devices are also
gaining some interest as the
research progresses. Not on the
market yet, the IMD’s elevates the
SCC and has some effect in con-
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trolling the environment
organisms.
“The ultimate way of getting rid
of mastitis,” according to Hut
chinson, “is culling”. This method
will free the herd form Strep Ag, he
continued. With Strep Ag
Staph, “once they get in the udder,
they stay in the udder, always shed
and spread around,” Hutchinson
explained.
Coliform or environment
organisms can be cured in the
udder, but will stay in the
surroundings. “Once you’re free of
Strep Ag, you’re always free
unless you buy a cow with it in her
udder,” Hutchinson repeated.
Vaccinations for the Staph bac
teria have also been found to not do
much good, according to Hut
chinson. The vaccinations cannot
get the immunity levels in the milk
in high enough levels.
Hutchinson recommended
taking a milk sample and saving it
for a culture at the onset of any
clinical mastitis. If the initial
treatment that a dairyman tries
first does not work, a culture can
be done and any antibiotic can be
used that will work on that par
ticular mastitis organism.
Cultures can not be done on milk
that has been treated. It is im
portant to take a milk sample
before treating the mastitis.
The different types of exotic and
coliform mastitis that Hutchinson
discussed were: Klebsiella,
Pseudomonas, Serratia,
Prototheca, and Mycoplasma. The
coliform mastitis grows in
manure and contaminated en
vironments and is resistant to
many common antibiotics and
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hard to treat.
These types of mastitis produce
toxins in the cow who experiences
fever of 105 degrees plus, loss of
appetite, and is similar to a milk
fever cow. The toxins poison the
whole system and can kill the cow.
Hutchinson recommended
initiating treatment with aspirin or
antihistamines to bring the tem
perature down.
Frequent strippings of the in
fected quarter wUI help to rid the
udder of toxins. He advised using
broad spectrum antibiotics in the
vein and then working with the
veterinarian for an effective an
tibiotic to use in the udder.
The Pseudominas organisms are
more common in parlors since
they grow in water systems. These
bacteria also have a tolerance for
iodine.
The Serratia organisms are
found in contaminated bottles.
They are not treatable. Some
Serratia organisms have been
found in some contaminated teat
dips, Hutchinson stated.
The Prototheca organisms also
do not respond to antibiotics and
have been found in Furacin and
water bottles. It is a type of algae
and needs a moist growing
medium.
The Mycroplasma organisms
are contagious types of bacteria
that are spread from cow to cow. It
does not respond to treatment and
usually affects two to four quarters
with a hardening of the udder.
“The only way to find out what is
in your herd is to culture,” Hut
chinson encouraged farmers. “
(Turn to PageA47)