Innovation will improve milk quality and udder health, yet not alone
To our surprise recent – as yet unpublished – data collected through a questionnaire from our group revealed that a large majority of our dairy producers does not know the difference between clinical and subclinical mastitis. Having spent over 25 years of my career disseminating basic information and applied research results, this is a disappointing finding. I am not convinced this situation is very different in other regions of the world. It indicates that, alongside focusing on innovation in the prevention and control of mastitis, we also need to emphasize communication and sensitization of producers, ensuring they understand the very basics of the disease we aim to “eradicate”. Veterinary practitioners play a central role in this approach, as our data show they are seen as trustworthy partners in working on udder health and milk quality, corroborating results from many other studies.
As a researcher dedicated to scientific innovations in the prevention and control of mastitis, I remain a keen advocate of the exciting developments in this area. Consider precision livestock applications, AI-driven data management, the use of phages, phage-derived endolysins, pre-, pro-, and postbiotics for treatment or prevention, … At the same time we must not forget that producing high-quality milk starts with producers and milkers understanding the basics of prevention and control, including proper hygiene and housing, secundum artem milking using well-functioning milking equipment, proper treatment, attention to dry cows and heifers, … .
Both innovation and the steady implementation and evaluation of many known and proven solutions will, hand in hand, remain cornerstones of excellent udder health and milk quality.
Sarne De Vliegher, a veterinarian by training, holds a PhD from Ghent University (Belgium) and a Master degree in Veterinary epidemiology from Utrecht University (The Netherlands) and is currently a full professor in Ghent. Many years ago he created M-teamUGent, his research group, that also triggered the establishment of MEXTM, the spinoff company, also together with Dr. Sofie Piepers “to make mastitis management easy”. Although he has spent many years in (applied) mastitis and milk quality research, he always has had a keen interest in the veterinary profession with multiple roles in e.g. the Belgian and Flemish Veterinary Councils. He is currently also leading an effort initiated by the Flemish government to set up a B2C animal welfare label for animal derived products.
