Triggers are early warning signals that alert people to possible changes in their mastitis control management that require follow-up action.

A simple approach used by farmers in the Countdown Downunder Farmer Short Courses is to develop a system that helps workers both recognise when things are going ‘off track’ and know in advance what to should do if this happens.

Triggers that provide early warning of clinical mastitis problems at calving include:

 

Trigger

Farm Guideline and Technote references

Background

More than 3 clinical cases occur within 50 calvings

Guideline 1.2

(Technote 1, page 8)

The calving period is defined as 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after actual calving. It is worthwhile investigating this rate of clinical mastitis. These will include new and recurring infections.

 

More than 3 heifers in 50 have clinical mastitis at calving

Guideline 1.2

(Technote  1, page 8)

These are likely to be new infections

 

More than 1 case in 3 needs a second course of antibiotic treatment

 

The overall treatment regimen should be reviewed to ensure product and use is appropriate

 

Strep agalactiae is grown from milk cultures

Guideline 13.1

(Technote , 13 page 2)

This bacteria spreads rapidly from cow to cow and can cause a lot of clinical cases

 

The Bulk Milk Cell Count suddenly increases

Guideline 11.1

(Technote  11, page 3)

In herds that are usually in premium, an unexpected rise in BMCC is often due to ‘missed’ clinical cases going into the vat

 

Clots on the milk filter.

Guideline 10.3

(Technote 10, page 1)

Milk filters remove clots larger than about 70 microns in diameter (not bacteria or somatic cells). Quarters with clots present for 3 or more squirts of foremilk should be treated as clinical cases.

 

 

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