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!

 Click here to download a copy of the plan!
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