The effect of mastitis management input and implementation of mastitis management on udder health, milk quality, and antimicrobial consumption in dairy herds

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to evaluate evolutions in herd-level antimicrobial consumption (AMC) and in udder health and milk quality parameters between herds that received mastitis management input on a regular basis (actively advised by the first author; referred to as intervention herds) and herds that did not (referred to as control herds). Strikingly, herds in the intervention group had a significantly higher prevalence of new intramammary infections compared with those in the control group. No significant differences were observed in the percentage of chronically infected cows, the bulk milk somatic cell count, and the bacterial and coliform count between the intervention and control herds, nor did the herd-level AMC differ between them. Furthermore, the level of mastitis management applied in each herd was assessed and scored [mastitis management score (MMS); higher is better], as was the level of implementation of different recommended mastitis management practices over time, expressed as the mastitis management implementation score (MMIS; higher is better). A large variation was observed in MMS and MMIS in the intervention herds (median = 16 and range = 12 to 22; median = 13 and range = -5 to 31, respectively) and the control herds (median = 16 and range = 9 to 22; median = 9 and range = -13 to 22, respectively). Also, intervention herds in which the herd veterinarian attended each herd visit executed by the first author had a higher MMS and MMIS (median = 20 and 24, respectively) compared with herds in which the veterinarian sometimes (median = 16 and 17, respectively) or never (median = 16.5 and 7.5, respectively) attended the herd visits. Further, the association between MMS or MMIS on one hand and udder health, milk quality, and the herd-level AMC over time on the other was studied using the data of both groups of herds. Better mastitis management was associated with a reduction in the consumption of antimicrobials that are critically important for human health over time and with lower bacterial counts and bulk milk somatic cell count. Better mastitis management can be helpful in obtaining better milk quality and more responsible use of critically important antimicrobials on dairy farms.

Keywords: antimicrobial consumption; mastitis management input; milk quality; udder health.