Monitoring Mastitis

Question 1

What are different ways of monitoring for mastitis?

Answer 1

• In parlour monitoring - fore milking, clinical signs, in line filters (main milk filter), California mastitis test
• Clinical case records
• Somatic cell counts
• Bulk tank bactoscan
• Bacteriology
• Multiplex PCR

Question 2

What would you do on clinical examination of mastitis?

Answer 2

• Palpate udder, Supramammary lymph nodes, Teat ends
• Check for mammary signs of systemic disease

Question 3

What are mammary signs of systemic disease?

Answer 3

• Photosensitisation = plant ingestion, mycotoxicosis, liver disease
• Mycoplasma wenyonii

Question 4

What are main contagious pathogens?

Answer 4

• Staph aureus
• Step uberis
• Strep agalactiae
• Step dysgalactiae

Question 5

What is treatment plan for chronic high cell count cows?

Answer 5

1. Treat during lactation according to culture + sensitivity
   - cloxacillin (intra-mammary), tylosin / penethamate (systemic)
2. Dry off + treat = better
3. Cull chronically infected, older cows

Question 6

What is a bactoscan?

Answer 6

• Actual count of bacterial numbers in milk
• Hygienic quality of milk

Question 7

What can cause increased bactoscan results?

Answer 7

• Poor housing hygiene
• Poor pre-milking teat prep
• High levels of mastitis on the farm
• Poor plant cleaning
• Take a milk sample from bulk tank for bulk milk bacteriology

Question 8

What are different on farm culture / ID systems?

Answer 8

• Tri-plates - 3 different types of agar media in one plate
• Mastatest system - 24hr
• AmpliSpec LAB mastitis - 70mins

Question 9

What is correct method for milk sample collection?

Answer 9

 Provide farmer with instructions and a kit
1. Wear gloves.
2. Clean and disinfect and dry the teat
3. Discard 10-15 ml of foremilk.
4. Clean each teat end and orifice for 15-20 seconds with a cotton wool swab which has been soaked in 70% alcohol.
5. Sample close teats then far away ones to avoid contamination
6. Keep the sample container as close as possible to the horizontal, do not overfill it and do not touch its rim;
7. Teat-dip afterwards