Managing Mastitis

Managing Mastitis

1. Introduction

   • Mastitis is a condition that causes cow's udder tissue to become inflamed and painful. Reducing mastitis will help you produce more high-quality milk and increase your herd's saleable milk yield.
   • Mastitis can very quickly cause permanent damage and a long-term reduction in milk yield. Treatment may reduce some of these effects, but it often does not fully remove them.
   • Mastitis is usually a result of bacteriaal infection. The spread of mastitis from a cow during the milking process was historically the most common way mastitis spread between cows. This 'contagious mastitis' is now well controlled in most herds.
   • The most common source of infections that cause mastitis is now the environment. Cows pick up bacteria that cause 'environmental mastitis' from manure and dirt.
   • The best way to control mastitis is to protect cows from getting new infections. Treatment is important but is generally an attempt to close the door.
   • New infections can come from the environment or other infected cows. Working out when cows get infected and where most infections are coming from is a useful first step.

2. What is Mastitis?