Dry cow mastitis treatment still vital procedure
Dry cow antibiotics are much more powerful than lactation antibiotics and as they will remain in the udder for the entire dry period, they will be much more effective in curing high SCC cows.
Chronically infected cows are unlikely to be cured by any means (cows with high SCC levels over a number of years, despite dry cow therapy, or cows with lumps in their udders, or cows that get clinical mastitis more than three or four times per year).
Proper dry cow antibiotic treatment remains the vital cog in reducing mastitis infections for the following season.
There is a lot of research work on substitutes for the traditional antibiotic dry cow treatment.
But at the present state of mastitis and SCCs in Ireland, farmers should use dry cow antibiotic therapy and in addition, a teat seal in many cases.
In some countries, where SCCs are only about half that of Ireland, many farmers use no dry cow antibiotics but use a teat seal to prevent environmental infections from E.coli etc. A small number of Irish farmers use antibiotics in high SCC cows but only use teat seals in very low SCC cows.
However, problems may arise, if relatively low SCC cows have an infection in one quarter.
The following procedures should be adopted at drying off.
* Cows should be dried off abruptly when milk drops to about 7 litres milk per day.
* Select cows to be dried off in batches which should be treated in the parlour when the other cows have been milked. This job cannot be done properly during milking.
* These cows should be put on a restricted diet for a few days before and after drying off until signs of milk production subside. A bare paddock is ideal. Contrary to traditional practice water should not be restricted.
* Heifers and thin cows will benefit from a 10 to 12 week dry period but 8 weeks is sufficient for cows in good condition.
* After the last milking, teat ends should be thoroughly washed and cleaned with spirits or a disinfected wipe. Use clean gloves.
* Extreme hygienic conditions are required when inserting dry cow tubes. Adequate light and control of cows is very important.
* The nozzle of the dry cow tube should be partly inserted into teat and the contents well massaged up into the udder.
* Make sure not to touch the nozzle of tubes as this can introduce infection into the udder. Infections are common after dry cow treatment and these can usually be attributed to poor hygiene during treatment.
* After treatment, teat dip or spray carefully to make sure the teat surface is well disinfected.
* Keep cows standing in a yard for half an hour after treatment
* Make sure that cows that are showing any signs of clinical mastitis are well cleared up with a strong lactating antibiotic before treating with dry cow tubes.
* Young cows with very high SCCs or cows that have high SCCs for the first time will benefit from treatment with a strong antibiotic just prior to drying off; ask your vet.
* Cow’s tails and hind quarters should be well clipped, to minimise dirt.
* Cubicles should be kept clean and dry and dusted with lime at all times.
* Some soft bedding should also be used such as straw, dry sawdust, mats, etc. as this encourages cows to spend more time lying down. Mats should be kept dry by regular use of lime, sawdust, paper etc.
* Read labels and keep accurate records of drying off and expected calving dates.
* Chronically infected cows are unlikely to be cured by any means. If they haven’t been cured by proper dry cow therapy in the past, get rid of them.
* We regularly hear of gimmicks for curing chronic cows but they don’t work.
* There are a wide range of dry cow mastitis tubes available, many of them very similar except for the labels. If you had problems in the past with certain brands, consult your vet and a sensitivity test may be recommended.
* Many farmers are using a teat seal, to protect against environmental mastitis eg E.coli, in addition to antibiotic tubes. Teat seals should not bemessaged up into the teats and udder.
