Drying off is every dairy farmer’s opportunity to make big gains in mastitis control and is the key to a mastitis-free start to the next lactation.

Research has shown that the two most common times when new infections of the udder occur are in the first few days after drying off, and also at and around calving.  It is significant that drying off strategies can significantly reduce the risk of infection at both of these times – when you combine this with the opportunity to cure existing infections, that is why the potential gains are so great from getting the drying off strategy right!

The introduction last year of a teat sealant product into the market in Australia has changed the traditional method of choosing a treatment strategy.

Countdown has produced a new Fact Sheet C  - Guide to the Choice of Selective or Blanket Dry Cow Treatment to help farmers and their advisers make the best decision for each herd. This Fact Sheet is printed on the Countdown lift-out in the May issue of The Australian Dairyfarmer.

It is important to remember that treatments at drying off are designed to address two different issues:

Curing existing mastitis infections

Existing mastitis infections that have developed during the current lactation can be cured in many (but not all) cows. About 20% of cows will cure as a result of their own defence mechanisms. Three to four times more will cure if they receive appropriate antibiotic Dry Cow Treatment.

Preventing new infections that may occur during the dry period

All cows, even uninfected cows, are at risk of new environmental infections over the dry period in some herds. These infections are usually seen as clinical mastitis at the next calving and in early lactation. Until last year Australian farmers used antibiotic Dry Cow Treatment to protect these cows. Now there is also a non-antibiotic teat sealant alternative to consider as an option.

So there are now three (3) basic drying-off treatment strategies which are possible:

(1)     Treat the whole herd with antibiotic Dry Cow Treatment (Blanket strategy)

(2)     Treat only infected cows with antibiotic Dry Cow Treatment (Selective strategy)

(3)     Treat infected cows with antibiotic Dry Cow Treatment, and uninfected cows with teat sealant (Combination strategy)

To help choose the best strategy for your farm, you can use Fact Sheet C in association with knowing the level and type of infection in your herd. And for further advice, your veterinarian can assist with this decision.

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"Discuss which Dry Cow Treatment strategy is best for your herd with your Veterinarian"