Focus

Avoiding drops in dry matter intake in prefresh heifers is crucial in reducing risk of metabolic diseases around calving.
Focus 

Impact of nutrition and feeding management on risk of mastitis in dairy heifers

40 min read ,

Mastitis risk in dairy cows and heifers is multifactorial and changes with time and interaction with causal factors. This complexity can make it hard to troubleshoot and help farms maintain a low level of mastitis. As a consultant it is difficult to be aware of daily changes and duration of those changes occurring on client dairies. Changes to nutrition is only one of many factors that may affect risk of mastitis in animals on individual dairy farms. Risk factors for mastitis in lactating, dry cow, and heifers are likely the same. However, because dairy heifers are often managed differently for the growing period, level of mastitis risk and time of exposure to that risk may be different than that of mature cows on the same farm. This paper explores opportunities for lowering risk of mastitis in heifers and as it relates to nutrition and feeding programs.

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Administration of dry cow antibiotic
Focus 

An update on evidence-based selective dry cow therapy protocols

36 min read ,

Dry cow antibiotic therapy (DCT) is the administration of long acting intramammary antibiotics at the time of dry-off. This practice gained widespread implementation in the 1960s as part of the ‘five point plan’ in the UK and numerous clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy in promoting udder health through the control of intramammary infections (IMI) during the dry period (Halasa et al., 2009a; Halasa et al., 2009b).

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• Milking cluster: Rinsing of the milking cluster, ideally after every cow, helps avoiding spread of infection between cows during milking.
Focus 

Current knowledge and application of biosecurity in cattle

31 min read ,

Biosecurity is defined as the combination of all measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of disease agents between animals. As such, the implementation of biosecurity is an important tool to accomplish disease prevention on cattle farms. It contributes to animal and public health and welfare, but it can also improve economic results and lower antimicrobial use and resistance.

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Abnormal mammary gland secretion after Escherichia coli infection (left).
Focus 

Escherichia coli mastitis

40 min read

Escherichia coli is a major mastitis pathogen and a well-known cause of clinical mastitis in dairy cows. Ubiquitously present in… This content is for M²-DIGITAL, M²-PREMIUM, M²-INSTITUTIONAL & NMC members …

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As Staphylococcus aureus genotype B is shed in milk and maybe delivered to the dairies, this genotype is expected to be also observed in cheese, particularly if raw milk cheese is prepared.
Focus 

Staphylococcus aureus and bovine mastitis: recent findings

38 min read

Bovine mastitis is a very common disease in dairy herds worldwide. In Switzerland, the incidence density is 32.7 cases per… This content is for M²-DIGITAL, M²-PREMIUM, M²-INSTITUTIONAL & NMC members …

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