Echoes from the 2024 National Mastitis Council Regional meeting in Ghent, Belgium – PART 2
General session 4: #SmartFarmingandAutomation (moderator Dr. Kristine Piccart)
Sensors to monitor udder health from another perspective
Dr. Ben Aernouts provided valuable insights into the sensors available for monitoring udder health. His research group in Belgium focuses on developing, implementing, and validating such innovative sensor technologies and data-processing algorithms to support livestock production. Dr. Aernouts reviewed various market options, including milk sensors, wearables, and promising tools using computer vision. Milk sensors, used during the milking process, allow milk to remain consumable. Such sensors measure milk flow or yield at the cow or quarter level. Electrical conductivity (EC) sensors, with an accuracy of 75-80%, can predict subclinical mastitis but may give false alerts due to interference with other milk components. Therefore, analysing influencing factors simultaneously is necessary to correct EC results. Fat- and lactose-levels also change during mastitis, making them good candidates for detection. However, current milk composition sensors lack accuracy. Dr. Aernouts' team at Geel is developing infrared spectroscopy sensors, which need miniaturization for commercialization.
The key takeaway from the presentation is that combining multiple technologies is likely the most promising approach to increase accuracy.
BIO - Dr. Ben Aernouts obtained his master’s and PhD degree in Bioscience Engineering at the University of Leuven in Belgium in 2010 and 2014 respectively. During his PhD research, he studied the optical behaviour of raw milk. Later, he continued as a postdoctoral fellow and used the insights obtained in his PhD-research to improve the design of optical sensors for milk quality and cow health monitoring and implement and validate these technologies on farm. To further complete his knowledge on data processing, he joined the lab of Dr. Matti Pastell at the Natural Resources Institute of Finland (Luke) as a visiting researcher from January until July 2018. Since October 2016, Ben is an assistant professor in “Management in Livestock Production” at the Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Leuven, Campus Geel. He teaches courses on livestock production, cattle management and precision livestock farming. Besides his teaching activities, he leads a research group with 12 researchers working on livestock technology, focusing on the development, implementation and validation of innovative sensor technology and data-processing algorithms to support dairy management. The current projects of the group deal with monitoring of recovery and cure after mastitis, modelling milk yield dynamics and perturbations, modelling milk progesterone and model-based decision support, on-farm milk quality monitoring and the identification of resilient dairy cows based on sensor and milk biomarker data.
Mastitis (early) detection with sensors technology – what options are there, where is the journey heading?
Dr. Daniela Marthold emphasized the importance of early detection in livestock health management. She argued that while we understand the threats, timely intervention is often lacking. The robustness and accuracy of health monitoring improve with the integration of multiple metrics. For example, combining rumination measurement with activity data, or rumen motility with intraruminal temperature and water intake, enhances diagnostic precision.
Based on the collected data, cows can be categorized into:
- Acute cases requiring immediate intervention;
- Suspicious cases, indicating potential underlying issues;
- Dry cows, which require specific management strategies.
This data can be used to monitor herd health over the long term and to establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Dr. Marthold predicted that wearable sensors will become essential for improving longevity, reducing medication use, and enhancing animal welfare. She envisions a future where artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in agricultural practices, leading to a dynamic and innovative era in livestock management.
BIO - Dr. Daniela Marthold studied agriculture in Nürtingen and Göttingen (Germany) and received a PhD in livestock science in Göttingen with a focus on reproduction management in cattle. She acts as an independent consultant for dairy farms, working in the field of feed additives and rumen fermentation since 2013. She has performed extensive trials with the smaXtec rumen pH bolus since 2017 and since March 2023 she has been working for smaXtec in cattle specialty consulting in the DACH+ region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
General session 5: #DataAnalyticsandMonitoring (moderator Dr. Anneleen De Visscher)
After a coffee break, including poster viewing, Dr. De Visscher initiated the next and final session of the second conference day.
Balancing tradition and innovation: approaches to mastitis data handling
Dr. Jeffrey Bewley is passionate about mastitis management and the use of data. During his talk, he cautioned that data without context - such as the specific farm or cow situation - can lead to incorrect and potentially dangerous conclusions. He highlighted several KPIs that he uses to assess mastitis on the farm, including the percentage of subclinical mastitis, the new infection rate, the mastitis culling rate, and the percentage of clinical cases, along with the bulk tank somatic cell count. He emphasized the importance of measuring the mastitis culling rate, arguing that simply increasing the replacement rate is not a viable solution.
Dr. Bewley stressed that KPIs are not just for managers but for everyone involved in the daily operations, allowing them to see the results of their efforts. Graphical representations of the data enable tracking progress from one test to the next. Dr. Bewley believes that traditional tools remain extremely useful and have untapped potential.
BIO - Dr. Jeffrey Bewley is from Rineyville, Kentucky, US where he grew up working on his grandfather’s dairy farm. He received a B.S. in Animal Sciences from the University of Kentucky in 1998. In 2000, he completed his M.S. in Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the direction of Dr. Roger Palmer with a focus on dairy modernization. His PhD-work under Dr. Mike Schutz at Purdue University focused on the application and economics of Precision Dairy Farming technologies. For 9.5 years, Jeffrey was on the faculty at the University of Kentucky as an Extension Dairy Specialist. He has also worked with IceRobotics, PerforMix Nutrition, BoviSync, and Alltech. Dr. Bewley is currently Dairy Analytics and Innovation Scientist with Holstein Association USA.
How can we use machine learning to improve udder health?
Dr. Jake Thompson served as our guide to the conference, exploring the future possibilities of machine learning. While often associated with science fiction, machine learning is deeply integrated into our everyday lives. This branch of artificial intelligence and computer science leverages data and algorithms to emulate human learning, continuously enhancing its accuracy. Essentially, machine learning allows computers to self-program through experiential learning.
Unlike traditional statistical methods, machine learning excels in predicting future outcomes based on historical data. For instance, it can forecast the health trajectory of animals. Dr. Thompson emphasized the importance of applying these innovative methods safely and appropriately to maintain trust in the technology and harness its immense potential for the benefit of dairy cows globally.
BIO - Dr. Jake Thompson graduated as a veterinary surgeon from the University of Nottingham, UK in 2017 and completed a PhD in 2021, entitled "The impact of living space on dairy cow production, reproduction and welfare". After his PhD, Jake continued to work at the University part time as a Research Fellow and externally as a clinical veterinarian in private farm animal practice. Since 2023, Jake has held the title of clinical assistant professor in Farm Animal Health, teaching dairy herd health to final year veterinary students and undertaking research in areas of machine learning, mastitis, positive welfare and the housed environment for dairy cows.
Summary of the day
Dr. Herman Barkema from the University of Calgary, Canada, shared his insights on the strides we've made in combating mastitis, rather than summarizing the day's conference. He highlighted several key achievements of the National Mastitis Council (NMC) community, such as providing farmers with tools to reduce bulk tank somatic cell counts, effectively controlling Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae infections, and developing strategies to manage environmental mastitis. Dr. Barkema emphasized the collaborative nature of our efforts, which benefit from the diverse backgrounds of our members, including academia, the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries, dairy organizations, veterinary practitioners, and human health professionals. However, he also echoed Keith Engel's, the 2024 NMC president, about the need to expand our global reach. Currently, over 90% of NMC's members are from North-America and Europe, leaving significant dairy-producing regions like India, China, Pakistan, and many African countries underrepresented. The NMC's mission statement, adopted during the conference, positions it as "the Global Milk Quality Organization," a non-profit professional organization dedicated to reducing mastitis and enhancing milk quality. Dr. Barkema stressed that achieving global impact requires a well-thought-out plan to engage major milk-producing countries.
General session 6: #AntimicrobialStewardship (moderator Dr. Bruno Toledo-Silva)
The final morning began with a warm welcome from Dr. Karlien Supré of Belgium, who provided an overview of the day's program. This was followed by Dr. Bruno Toledo-Silva, also from Belgium, introducing the speakers for general session 6.
Antimicrobial resistance through the One Health lens- why should the dairy industry care?
Dr. Kristen Reyher from Bristol University presented on Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) through the One Health perspective, emphasizing its relevance to the dairy industry. Recent data from 2019 indicate that 1.27 million human deaths are directly attributable to AMR, with 4.95 million deaths associated with it. Dr. Reyher highlighted the correlation between veterinary Antimicrobial Use (AMU) and AMR in food-producing animals. She pointed out that many countries still lack a legal framework to guide AMU. In the UK, data show that three times more antibiotics are used to treat people than animals on a 'kg for kg' basis. Several studies have examined the impact of antimicrobial stewardship on AMU and its consequences for farms. Notably, ceasing the use of the highest priority critically important antimicrobials does not negatively affect production, health, or welfare parameters in dairy cows. Improvements in dairy AMU in the UK were achieved through a participatory, farm-led approach. Regarding AMR on dairy farms, Dr. Reyher noted that it is prevalent if you look for it. Practices such as feeding waste milk to calves promote the shedding of AMR. A link has been established between the use of cefquinome and framycetin as dry cow therapy and AMR in calves. Dr. Reyher also presented studies confirming that ceftiofur/cefquinome-based mastitis treatments increase the shedding of AMR genes. There is strong evidence of on-farm circulation and crossover of AMR between farms.
Dr. Reyher concluded by reminding us that AMR is a global issue and encouraged everyone to be part of the solution.
BIO - Dr. Kristen Reyher is professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Population Health at the Bristol Veterinary School, part of the University of Bristol. She has worked in livestock veterinary practice in three countries and holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University in New York state as well as a PhD in veterinary epidemiology from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island. Kristen currently leads an interdisciplinary research group (the AMR Force) focussed on antimicrobial stewardship, use and resistance. Their work has a One Health focus which weaves together a multitude of disciplines, from laboratory to social sciences, with a focus on reliable and shareable data. Kristen’s approach is participatory and she enjoys working with a broad range of academics and stakeholders. She is interested in making research more accessible (and accomplish-able) to veterinary practitioners, farmers and citizens across the globe.
Selective dry cow therapy: application of recent research
Dr. Sam Rowe from Sydney University, Australia shared insights on dry cow therapy (DCT). He emphasized that blanket DCT involves administering antibiotics to many uninfected quarters. To target the correct animals and quarters, screening tests such as rapid culture or predictive algorithms can be used. A 2018 multisite clinical trial compared udder health outcomes with different DCT methods. The selective DCT (SDCT) method reduced AMU by 55% compared to blanket DCT, without increasing clinical mastitis or culling, and had no impact on somatic cell counts or milk yield. These findings are consistent with similar studies worldwide. Dr. Rowe outlined the characteristics of a successful SDCT program, which include using a teat sealant in all cows, employing rapid culture or algorithms to allocate treatments, and implementing the program in suitable herds. He noted that algorithms vary in their ability to reduce AMU and identify cows with intramammary infections. High-specificity algorithms, which require less data, lead to lower AMU but may miss infected cows, while high-sensitivity algorithms detect most infected cows but require more data and result in higher AMU. The choice of algorithm should be based on data availability, tolerance for the risk of missing infections, and the producer’s antibiotic use targets. Dr. Rowe concluded by identifying indicators of herds suitable for adopting SDCT:
- The average bulk tank somatic cell count is < 250,000 cells/ml;
- The herd is free of Streptococcus agalactiae;
- Staphylococcus aureus is under control;
- Continuous monitoring of clinical and subclinical mastitis is in place;
- The farm system can handle more complex and risky procedures.
This means that excellent hygiene is required during the dry-off procedure, written standard operating procedures and an employee training program are necessary, and there should be systematic use of dry-off lists.
BIO - Dr. Sam Rowe is a herd health veterinarian, teacher, and researcher at the University of Sydney. With a career spanning 13 years in clinical practice and academic pursuits, Sam holds a Masters from Massey University, New Zealand, and a PhD in mastitis epidemiology from the University of Minnesota, USA. Sam's interdisciplinary approach, incorporating epidemiology, data science, microbiology, and production animal medicine, addresses practical challenges in livestock production. His work contributes to sustainable food animal production, with a focus on pragmatic solutions for farmers and veterinarians.
What have we learned from 20 years of selective treatment of clinical mastitis?
Dr. Pam Ruegg shared insights from 20 years of selective treatment of clinical mastitis. She began with a disclaimer: selective treatment is suitable only for non-severe cases with localized clinical signs, which account for about 85% of all mastitis cases. Dr. Ruegg outlined the principles of effective mastitis treatment, emphasizing that antibiotic therapy is appropriate when three conditions are met:
- The bacteria are actively dividing and susceptible to approved antibiotics.
- The antibiotic can reach a therapeutic concentration at the infection site.
- The therapeutic cure margin exceeds spontaneous cure.
A recurring theme at the NMC regional meeting, highlighted by several speakers, is that mastitis detection is based on observing a non-specific immune response. Consequently, inflammation in an udder does not always indicate an active infection. Dr. Ruegg noted that many non-severe cases will recover without antibiotic therapy or will not respond to approved antibiotics. Therefore, treatment should be based on culture results and cow-level factors, and effective training of milking technicians is essential.
Dr. Ruegg stressed that improper detection of non-severe clinical mastitis undermines the program's success. In terms of antibiotic treatments, she mentioned that the US and Canada have a limited selection, with only two approved antibiotics. Thus, treating infections outside the spectrum of approved drugs is futile. Data from several farms in three US states indicate that mastitis treatment during lactation or at dry-off accounts for the highest number of antibiotic doses per cow per year. Implementing selective treatment programs effectively is a crucial part of antimicrobial stewardship on dairy farms.
BIO - Dr. Pam Ruegg currently holds the David J. Ellis Chair in Antimicrobial Resistance and Large Animal Clinical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University, US, and is focused on research and outreach that help to improve animal health and farm sustainability. She previously served as chair of the Department of Animal Science at MSU and spent 20 years as a professor and extension milk quality specialist in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, US and has had varied professional experiences including private veterinary practice, academic positions at both Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at MSU and corporate technical service.
General session 7: #WhatWillTheFutureBring (moderator Dr. Linda Tikofsky)
After the final coffee break of the conference, Dr. Linda Tikofsky initiated the final session.
Engineering tomorrow’s antimicrobials: bacteriophages and -derived enzymes as innovators for the control of bovine mastitis
Bacteriophages are viruses that replicate using the metabolism of bacteria. They exhibit various modes of action, but resistance or inactivation in raw milk is common. To address these challenges, a cocktail strategy is employed, combining several bacteriophages to target a specific bacterium. A proof-of-concept study has demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach in the context of mastitis.
Dr. Vander Elst provided a comprehensive overview, including regulatory and engineering insights. He highlighted that bacteriophage-derived enzymes, such as endolysins, represent the next generation of antimicrobials poised for a breakthrough in the prevention and control of bovine mastitis.
BIO - Dr. Niels Vander Elst was awarded a prestigious fellowship from the Belgian American Educational Foundation (BAEF) to start his own research project at an American University in continuation of his veterinary medicine studies. Niels moved to the USA in 2019 to start his PhD at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, associated to the University of Maryland, where he focused on investigating bacteriophage-derived enzymes (endolysins) as promising novel antimicrobials for bovine mastitis. Upon termination of his one-year doctoral research stay in the USA, Niels successfully received additional personal funding from Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) to finish his interdisciplinary PhD project as an interuniversity collaboration between the groups of Dr. Rob Lavigne (University of Leuven), Dr. Yves Briers and Dr. Evelyne Meyer (Ghent University). During his FWO mandate from 2020 to 2023, Niels contributed to international conferences, published several first-authored manuscripts and managed to file two patent applications, one full patent in Europe and one provisional patent in the USA. The latter was selected as finalist for the ‘Invention of the Year’ award by the University of Maryland. Immediately after completion of his PhD, Niels proceeded with his academic career in the team of Dr. Federico Iovino at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, supported by a postdoctoral scholarship from the Swedish 'Kronprinsessan Lovisas Förening För Barnasjukvård / Stiftelsen Axel Tielmans Minnesfond'. Niels continues to engineer bacteriophage-derived endolysins, now with a focus on human health to tackle pneumococcal meningitis in children and newborns.
Unraveling mastitis: genomics today and tomorrow
Dr. Gina Pighetti explained that mastitis has low heritability, making the combination of genotype and environmental phenotype crucial. Genomic selection is more efficient than traditional methods, reducing the interval from 5 years to 2 years to identify the traits of a dam's and sire's daughters. Selective breeding is practically applied, with certain chemokines targeted to enhance resistance traits to mastitis.
Research in this field focuses on the mononuclear population and their activities, aiming to bolster the cow's immune system. This approach seeks to reduce the future need for antimicrobials.
BIO - Dr. Gina Pighetti’s research & education interests focus on minimizing mastitis in dairy cows. She retired from The University of Tennessee after 20 years as a professor. She received awards to work directly with dairy farmers to develop best management practices, as well as to pursue more fundamental research using genomics to identify at risk animals and related changes in immunity and disease resistance. She has published and presented her work nationally and internationally in these focus areas. Dr. Pighetti received her PhD from Penn State University in 1998 and is currently serving as a consultant and enjoying her variety of animals on her family’s farm.
Nutrition, metabolism and mastitis
Dr. Turner Schwartz explored the connections between nutrition, metabolism, and mastitis. He noted that the transition period for dairy cows remains a challenge, with many cows experiencing ketosis. It is now well-established that nutrition influences the immune response by meeting the cow's requirements and because nutrients act as signalling molecules. A study demonstrated that using rumen-protected amino acids, such as methionine, can improve neutrophil function. While we are still determining the precise nutritional needs, Dr. Schwartz concluded that nutrition is a promising area to investigate for solutions to prevent mastitis.
BIO - Dr. Turner Schwartz is originally from a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania, US. He attended Penn State for his bachelor's degree in Animal Sciences. He then worked as a herdsman for 5 years. After which, he attended Virginia Tech where he pursued his PhD in dairy cattle health under the guidance of Dr. Christina Petersson-Wolfe. Following his time at Virgina Tech, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Barry Bradford at Michigan State University focused on immunometabolism and nutritional physiology. Today, Turner is an assistant professor at South Dakota State University. His lab focuses on nutritional and management strategies to improve dairy cattle health.
Dry cow therapy impact on production, antimicrobial resistance and milk microbiota
Dr. Sharif Aly discussed his research on DCT and its effects on milk production, AMR, and the milk microbiota. He began by explaining his selection process for several publications related to SDCT and then presented the microbiota composition. The most prevalent bacterial phyla identified were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria.
Dr. Aly also shared studies examining the AMR genes of bacteria present in milk at different lactation stages and in groups of cows treated at dry-off with or without antibiotics. This research introduced the concept of the resistome: the collection of genes from various phylogenetic origins that function as resistance genes only in the presence of the corresponding drug, serving as a survival mechanism for the target organism.
BIO – Dr. Sharif Aly. As a veterinary epidemiologist and biostatistician, Sharif Aly’s research focuses on study design and analytical methods to advance dairy cattle health and welfare, public health and food safety. Aly’s Dairy Epi Lab is located in Tulare, California, US at the heart of the nation’s dairy industry where he researches mastitis impact, diagnostics and prevention and control.
What’s hot in mammary gland immunology? New insights and future directions
Dr. Anja Sipka concluded the general session of the NMC Regional Meeting in Ghent with an outstanding presentation. She reviewed host-pathogen interactions and described biomarkers such as milk serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, cytokines, and chemokines. These inflammatory mediators enable the characterization of inflammation types and could be utilized for mastitis management. Several promising biomarkers were highlighted. Understanding their mechanisms is crucial to defining cut-off values and reference ranges, as well as developing standardized, high-throughput, and sensitive tests.
BIO - Dr. Anja Sipka has earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2006 at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, and her doctoral degree in bovine immunology in 2009 at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, both in Germany. In 2011 she joined the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, US for her postdoctoral work, studying immune response dynamics of udder infections in experimental mastitis models. From 2016 to 2022 Dr. Sipka was a research associate with Quality Milk Production Services, Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC), Cornell University, supporting milk quality and udder health on dairy farms across New York State and conducting research on host pathogen interaction in mastitis and transition cow immunology. Since 2022 she is an assistant professor of practice with the Serology and Immunology Laboratory at the AHDC where her current research goal is to define biomarkers for bovine inflammation and develop new assay platforms.
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