Optimizing udder health in dairy cattle

2021 ◽  
pp. 323-350
Author(s):  
Theo J. G. M. Lam ◽  
◽  
Sarne De Vliegher ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Intramammary Infections ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Diagnostic Approaches ◽  
Level Problem ◽  
Milking Machine

In this chapter several aspects of udder health are discussed. Mastitis, inflammation of the mammary gland, which is generally caused by bacterial infections, is one of the most important and most studied diseases in dairy cattle. Diagnostic approaches are discussed with specific attention for the bacteriological causes of the disease. Subsequently immunological aspects of intramammary infections will be reviewed. Because treatment of mastitis in unavoidable at some point in time in most dairy herds, attention is given to treatment of mastitis with an emphasis on different types of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. The most important part of udder health management, however, is the preventive management. From that perspective, breeding, housing and nutrition are shortly discussed, as are the milking machine and milking procedures. Finally attention is given to problem solving once mastitis has led to a herd level problem and some future trends are discussed.

Effect of coagulase-negative staphylococci on somatic cell count in Dutch dairy herds

2010 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otlis Sampimon ◽  
Bart HP van den Borne ◽  
Inge Santman-Berends ◽  
Herman W Barkema ◽  
Theo Lam
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Subclinical Mastitis ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽  
Intramammary Infections ◽  
Milk Samples

The effect was quantified of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) intramammary infections on quarter- and cow-level somatic cell count (SCC) and on bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) in different BMSCC cohorts in Dutch dairy herds. Two datasets were used for this purpose. In the first dataset, on 49 randomly selected dairy farms a total of 4220 quarter milk samples of 1072 cows were collected of all cows and heifers with a test-day SCC ⩾250 000 and ⩾150 000 cells/ml, respectively, and of 25% of cows and heifers below these thresholds. In the second dataset, on 39 selected dairy farms a total of 8329 quarter milk samples of 2115 cows were collected of all cows with a test-day SCC ⩾250 000 cells/ml following two consecutive SCC <250 000 cells/ml, and of heifers using the same SCC criteria but with a threshold of 150 000 cells/ml. These cows and heifers were defined as new high SCC. In both datasets, CNS was the most frequently isolated pathogen, 11% in the first dataset and 12% in the second dataset. In both datasets, quarters with CNS IMI had a lower SCC than quarters infected with major pathogens, and a higher SCC than culture-negative quarters. The same was found for SCC at cow level. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were more often found in quarters with SCC ⩾200 000 cells/ml in dairy farms with a BMSCC <150 000 cells/ml compared with dairy farms with a higher BMSCC. Prevalence of CNS in cows and heifers with a high SCC was higher in dairy farms with a BMSCC <150 000 cells/ml compared with dairy farms with a medium or high BMSCC: 30, 19 and 18%, respectively. This indicates that CNS IMI as a cause of subclinical mastitis is relatively more important in dairy farms with a low BMSCC and may become a point of attention in udder health management on that type of farm.

scholarly journals A pathogen-specific approach towards udder health management in dairy herds: Using culture and somatic cell counts from routine herd investigations

2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge-Marié Petzer ◽  
Joanne Karzis ◽  
Edward F. Donkin ◽  
Edward C. Webb
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Somatic Cell Counts ◽  
Milk Samples ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
Cell Counts

A dedicated udder health diagnostic programme was developed and used over a 15-year period in South Africa to analyse milk samples based on microbiological and cytological patterns within various groups and for individual cows and udder quarters in dairy herds. These pathogen-specific analyses are utilised for pro-active improvement and management of udder health in South African commercial dairy herds. The programme acts as a monitoring tool and identifies management areas at risk and individual cows with udder disease and uses both quarter and composite milk samples. Intra-mammary infection (IMI) is a dynamic situation and depending on the time a milk sample is taken, false-negative results may be obtained. A new IMI and an infection that is curing may both have low somatic cell counts (SCCs), masking the true bacterial status. SCC in individual infected udder quarters may differ greatly depending on the causative bacterial species, its pathogenicity, the host immune status and the environmental factors involved. A pathogen-specific udder health approach was followed with repeated herd tests to take account of these udder health dynamics. The results of the herd IMI investigation are applied in practice to assist veterinarians, udder health consultants and managers to make informed and specific detailed decisions at both a herd and on an individual cow basis regarding udder health.

scholarly journals Proactive udder health management in South Africa and monitoring of antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy herds from 2001 to 2010

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Karzis ◽  
Inge-Marie Petzer ◽  
Edward F. Donkin ◽  
Vinny Naidoo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
South African ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Bovine Milk ◽  
Management Programme ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Cell Counts

Antibiotic resistance of strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine milk is of concern internationally. The objective of this study was to investigate trends of resistance of S. aureus to antibiotics administered to dairy cows in 19 South African and one Zambian dairy herds (participating in the South African proactive udder health management programme) and to identify possible contributing factors. The resistance of S. aureus strains to eight commonly used antibiotics in South Africa from 2001 to 2010 was evaluated. Staphylococcus aureus isolates (n = 2532) were selected from cows with subclinical mastitis in 20 herds routinely sampled as part of the proactive udder health management programme. The isolates were selected from milk samples that had somatic cell counts more than 400 000 cells/mL and were tested for antibiotic resistance using a standard Kirby–Bauer test with published clinical breakpoints. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance was evaluated as a percentage of S. aureus isolates susceptible out of the total numbers for each antibiotic selected per year. Staphylococcus aureus showed a significant increase in percentage of susceptible isolates over time for all antibiotics tested except for ampicillin. The overall prevalence of mastitis did not change during the study period. However, the prevalence of mastitis caused by S. aureus (mostly subclinical cases) in the selected herds decreased numerically but not significantly. Reduction in the incidence of antibiotic resistance shown by S. aureus was presumed to be a result of the application of the proactive udder health management programme. The fact that the overall prevalence of mastitis was kept stable was possibly because of the influence of the management programme in conjunction with the return of infections caused by non-resistant strains.

scholarly journals Milk losses linked to udder health treatments at dairy farms with automatic milking systems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Adriaens ◽  
Igor Van Den Brulle ◽  
Ben Aernouts
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Time Window ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Fixed Time ◽  
List Type ◽  
Intramammary Infections ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Lactation Stage ◽  
On Farm

AbstractMilk losses caused by intramammary infections (IMI) have a massive impact on farm profitability and sustainability. In this study, we analyzed milk losses from 4 553 treated IMI cases at 41 AMS dairy farms. Milk losses were estimated based on the difference between the expected and the true production. To estimate the unperturbed lactation curve, we applied an iterative procedure using the Wood model and a variance-dependent threshold on the milk yield residuals. We calculated milk losses both in a fixed window around the first treatment day of each IMI case and in the perturbations corresponding to this day, at cow level as well as at quarter level. In a fixed time window of day -5 to 30 around the first treatment, the absolute median milk losses per case were 101.5 kg, highly dependent on the parity and the lactation stage with absolute milk losses highest in multiparous cows and at peak lactation. Relative milk losses expressed in percentage were highest on the treatment day, and full recovery was often not reached within 30 days from treatment onset. In 62% of the cases, we found a perturbation in milk yield at cow level at the time of treatment. On average, perturbations started 8.7 days before the first treatment and median absolute milk losses increased to 128 kg milk per perturbation. Mastitis is not expected to have equal effects on the four quarters so this study additionally investigated losses in the individual udder quarters. We used a data-based method leveraging milk yield and electrical conductivity to project the presumably infected quarter and compared losses with the average of presumably non-infected quarters. Median absolute losses in a fixed 36-day window around treatment varied between 50.2 kg for front and 59.3 kg for hind infected quarters compared to respectively 24.7 and 26.3 kg for the median losses in the non-infected quarters. Also here, these losses depended on lactation stage and parity. Expressed proportionally to expected yield, the relative median milk losses in infected quarters on the treatment day were 20% higher in infected quarters with a higher variability and slower recovery. In 86% of the treated IMI cases, at least one perturbation was found at the quarter level. This analysis confirms the high impact of IMI on milk production, and the large variation between quarter losses illustrates the potential of quarter analysis for on-farm monitoring at farms with an automated milking system.HighlightsMilk losses were estimated for treated cases of intramammary infectionsMilk losses were highly variable across cases with a median of 101 kgWe found large differences between infected and non-infected quartersQuantification of milk losses can be the basis for better udder health management

On-farm udder health monitoring

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (02) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
J. C. van Veersen ◽  
O. Sampimon ◽  
R. G. Olde Riekerink ◽  
T. J. G. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Critical Control Points ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Clinical Problems

SummaryIn this article an on-farm monitoring approach on udder health is presented. Monitoring of udder health consists of regular collection and analysis of data and of the regular evaluation of management practices. The ultimate goal is to manage critical control points in udder health management, such as hygiene, body condition, teat ends and treatments, in such a way that results (udder health parameters) are always optimal. Mastitis, however, is a multifactorial disease, and in real life it is not possible to fully prevent all mastitis problems. Therefore udder health data are also monitored with the goal to pick up deviations before they lead to (clinical) problems. By quantifying udder health data and management, a farm is approached as a business, with much attention for efficiency, thought over processes, clear agreements and goals, and including evaluation of processes and results. The whole approach starts with setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals, followed by an action plan to realize these goals.

Remaining useful life estimation: a review on stochastic process-based approaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dangbo Du ◽  
Jianxun Zhang ◽  
Xiaosheng Si ◽  
Changhua Hu
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Process ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Remaining Useful Life ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Prognostics And Health Management ◽  
Inverse Gaussian ◽  
Life Estimation ◽  
Inverse Gaussian Process ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Useful Life

Background: Remaining useful life (RUL) estimation is the central mission to the complex systems’ prognostics and health management. During last decades, numbers of developments and applications of the RUL estimation have proliferated. Objective: As one of the most popular approaches, stochastic process-based approach has been widely used for characterizing the degradation trajectories and estimating RULs. This paper aimed at reviewing the latest methods and patents on this topic. Methods: The review is concentrated on four common stochastic processes for degradation modelling and RUL estimation, i.e., Gamma process, Wiener process, inverse Gaussian process and Markov chain. Results: After a briefly review of these four models, we pointed out the pros and cons of them, as well as the improvement direction of each method. Conclusion: For better implementation, the applications of these four approaches on maintenance and decision-making are systematically introduced. Finally, the possible future trends are concluded tentatively.

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