OUTCOMES OF A COMPREHENSIVE MILK QUALITY CONSULT WITH YOUR VET:

• Assess current mastitis management on your farm
• Set realistic short and long-term mastitis management goals
• Identify specific actions to take—plan how you will monitor and review

ASSESS CURRENT MASTITIS MANAGEMENT:

Clinical Mastitis
(from computerised/written records AND vet invoices)

• Count total cases/month (%)
• Count repeat cases (%)
• Count treatment failures (%)

Subclinical Mastitis

1. Review BMSCC records
2. Review herd test records OR
3. Review recent RMT results (Rapid Mastitis Test)

Discuss preferences about lactating and dry-cow treatments

TO SET MASTITIS MANAGEMENT GOALS:

TO IDENTIFY ACTIONS: decide who, when, how for each step. Plan to monitor and review.

1. Refer to industry benchmarks: cow dry-off
   1. > 70% cure rate^*
   2. < 1% clinical cases during the dry period^*
   3. < 8% clinical mastitis rate / month over calving^*
   4. < 150,000 cells / ml average BMSCC^*
   5. No mastitis-related deaths after drying-off^* Relate to triggers on Dairy NZ SmartSAMM Mastitis Focus Report
2. Refer to industry benchmarks: shed management
   1. > 85% heifers with SCC < 120,0001 at each herd test
   2. > 80% cows with SCC < 150,0001 at each herd test
   3. < 1% / month clinical cases after calving1
   4. Reduce or eliminate grades

SUMMARY OF WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR DRY COW CONSULT:

• Clinical case records
• Bulk milk somatic cell count trends
• Herd test information /RMT results
• Mastitis treatment preferences
• Goals for mastitis management (ref: industry benchmarks)

REFERENCES

1. DairyNZ Smart SAMM. (2020). Technote 14: Decide dry cow management strategy. Retrieved from www.dairynz.co.nz.
2. DairyNZ Smart SAMM. (2020). Technote 12: Use individual cow SCC for management decisions. Retrieved from www.dairynz.co.nz.

FOR MORE:

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