Mastitis

Large Animals​ - Mastitis Made Simple

To control mastitis you must:

1. Detect it and treat it EARLY:

• Have procedures to constantly be finding mastitis cows, such as regular stripping, using RMT paddle test and the summary herd test data.
• Treat immediately (or next day if in colostrums).

2. REDUCE cows getting new infections:

a) Milking Management:

• Shed procedures, cup removal, cup alignment, milk time.
• Plant efficiency, inflations.
• Teat spray.

b) Cow associated bacteria (chronic infected cows).

• Prevent infection spread (milk mastitis cows last);
• Remove infections with dry cow therapy → mastitis & herd test records;
• Remove carrier cows – culling → mastitis & herd test records.

c) Environmental bacteria (reduce new infections from bacteria on the teat skin).

• Dry Period

Pads/paddocks especially when wet & muddy
DCT/Teatseal...many cows get infected during the dry period

• Lactation

Shed procedures such as teat spray
Pads/paddocks …also when wet & muddy


To control mastitis:

1. You need to have a plan to follow.
2. You need to FOLLOW the plan!