Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the 58th Annual National Mastitis Council meeting held in Savannah, Ga. I have attended this meeting numerous times over the last 35 years, but this year, I felt a little guilty while there.
The polar vortex was raging in full force in the Upper Midwest and my daily texts back home were returned with short phrases of “We are just surviving!” Kudos to all of you for your hard work and tenacity to get chores done back on the farm.
The National Mastitis Council (NMC), for those of you not familiar, is a global organization focused on mastitis control and milk quality. Certainly, over the last decade, the international diversity has grown, making it a great time of fellowship with others from all parts of the world.
Today, NMC is much more than a “mastitis group.” It has broadened its vision because we all acknowledge that dairy care, udder health, food safety, and the value of nutritious dairy products are central to our goal of providing the best food to a growing world. This organization continues to inspire, challenge, and motivate those of us close to the cow. I would like to share just a couple of my “take home” thoughts for all of us to ponder.
Mastitis is costly
Several presentations shared data on the true cost of mammary infections. It should surprise no dairy producer that the actual cost of this disease is far greater than previously thought. Inflammation requires added fuel from the body to mount desired immune responses, and inflammation is costly!
For a dairy cow, a healthy mammary gland is the culmination of everything we work for. The data summarized in a technical bulletin by Zoetis and Compeer (August 2018) revealed the correlations of rising herd somatic cell count (SCC) with lowered net farm income, greater death loss, impaired reproduction, lowered energy corrected milk (ECM) yield, and higher herd replacement costs. Bottom line, we must continue to heavily invest (and manage) to reduce intramammary infections. Udder health is a key driver in dairy sustainability!
What is quality milk?
Brandon Treichler, D.V.M., from Select Milk Producers, presented a thought-provoking presentation titled “Milk quality still pays.” One key point Treichler made was the fact that the term “quality milk” has differing meanings within our industry.
To the producer, veterinarian, field representative, or adviser, “quality milk” is generally measured by SCC, bacteria counts, and absence of violative residues. Typically, these are the factors used to establish premiums. We also include mastitis prevalence, both clinical and subclinical, as additional criteria for “quality milk” as part of our herd benchmarks.
To the processor, “milk quality” encompasses additional factors, such as shelf life, off flavors, spore- forming bacteria, and responsible welfare for the animals. Processors are keen to factors associated with yield and position in the market- place (examples include no artificial growth hormones, non-GMO, organic, and grass-fed).
And finally, to the consumer, where the rubber meets the road, milk quality is judged by questions, such as:
“Is this food safe and healthy for my family?”
“Are the animals well cared for?” “Is the process ethically and environmentally responsible?”
Today, social pressures among consumer groups exert a tremendous direction on food purchases. Consumers look far beyond just value. It’s important to them that they feel they’ve made a healthy purchase decision. Therefore, those of us with boots in the barn need to expand our notion of quality milk programs to a wider definition in order to address a more socially conscious consumer.
Shift efforts to prevention
For me, the times spent together at breakfast, lunch, and dinner during these conferences allow for informal discussion with so many super dairy folks. NMC is a great melting pot of global influence. My discussions with those “across the pond” reaffirm my thoughts that we must shift our focus from chasing bugs (bacteria) and treatment to how we can manage in such a way as to minimize new infections.
Mastitis is not a disease that takes rocket science to figure out. Generally, cows get mastitis four ways: left front, right front, left rear, or right rear quarter via teat end entrance of udder pathogens.
Most of us in today’s well-managed confinement herds deal with environmental bacteria. Many of our clients have succeeded in reducing, and even eliminating, intramammary antibiotics previously used to treat clinical mastitis through refocused efforts to keep cows, particularly udders, very clean.
Full udder prep and attention to the units during milk harvest along with needed space and rest requirements in the barn set the stage for a high-quality milking herd. Develop a “culture of excellence” based on prevention from the “beds to the bulk tank.” It really does work!
Dairy products are good
In the final session of this year’s conference, several speakers confirmed what we have known for some time. Namely, saturated dairy fats (butter and full-fat products) are positively associated with enhanced cardiovascular health. Your harvested milk provides the perfect blend of the right fats, right protein, and the right taste to quality for the term “super food!” One of the speakers, a human nutritionist and triathlon athlete, promoted full- fat chocolate milk as her “recovery drink” of choice.
Leaving the conference, I felt very proud of the industry we serve. Congratulations to the 42 dairy farms receiving Platinum, Gold, and Silver Quality Awards. By the way, 19 of the 42 were Michigan farms . . . a great achievement for my home state.
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The author is a partner and large animal veterinarian Mastitis is costly at Thumb Veterinary Services in Deckerville, Mich.
Used by permission from the April 10, 2019, issue of Hoard’s Dairyman. Copyright 2019 by W.D. Hoard & Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.
Source: nmconline.org
