UDDER TOPICS

A Global Organizaon for Mass Control and Milk Quality
Make Responsible Treatment Choices
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properly store quarter milk samples (for pathogen determinaons), discard abnormal milk and then nofy a
herdsperson/owner for further examinaon of the cow. “No treatment decisions should be made in the
parlor. You do not have me there to make a treatment decision,” Ruegg stated.
For cows needing further examinaon, the herdsperson should assign a severity score to determine if
immediate treatment is necessary and work closely with the herd veterinarian to ensure compliance with
approved treatment protocols. Cows that present with severe clinical mass (CM) are medical emergencies
and require immediate symptomac treatment. Cows that present with non‐severe CM do not require
immediate treatment. For these cases, review the cow’s medical history and only administer anbiocs if
the cow may benefit from treatment.
Customize treatments
Environment and prevalent pathogens vary from dairy to dairy. “Work with your herd veterinarian to
develop appropriate treatment protocols – customized for your dairy operaon,” Ruegg noted.
To develop appropriate treatment protocols, Ruegg said, you’ll need to do some “CSI” (cowside
invesgaon) work. Don’t give anbiocs to cows that are unlikely to benefit. For example, cows that have a
previous diagnosis of mass caused by a refractory pathogen (e.g., Mycoplasma bovis, Staph. aureus,
Prototheca and Serraa) should not receive anbiocs. Most likely, cows with these infecons will not respond
to anbioc treatment. Similarly, do not treat cows that have chronic mass symptoms (three or
more CM cases during the current lactaon or more than 4 months of SCC greater than 200,000 cells/mL). In
these instances, discard abnormal milk (usually about four to six days) and monitor these cows in case
mass severity progresses. (This does not happen oen.)
For proper anbioc selecon (and determine if needed) and therapy duraon, idenfy the bacteria causing
a mass infecon. Also, consider parity, stage of lactaon and history of previous clinical or subclinical
mass cases before choosing and using an anbioc to treat clinical mass. These factors influence the
probability of successful immune responses and cure aer intramammary infecons (Burvenich et al., 2003;
Pinzon‐Sanchez and Ruegg, 2011).
Work closely with your veterinarian to ensure that drugs are used appropriately on cale. And, establish a
wrien agreement with your veterinarian that defines the veterinarian’s role. This agreement forms the
basis for ensuring proper drug use and oversight that minimizes the risk of milk and/or meat drug residues.
Resources regarding extra‐label drug use can be found on the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database
website (www.farad.org).
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