Milk quality means something different for every stakeholder in the dairy industry, according to Brandon Treichler, DVM.

Milk quality is always an important issue and, in periods of low milk prices, it can make or break the bank. We all know adherence to a good milking routine, including clean teat ends, proper stimulation, prompt identification of clinical mastitis and accurate treatment are hallmarks of a good milk quality program.

Tired of waiting for mastitis culture results to come back and, when they do, the result is “no growth”? About 40 percent of clinically abnormal milk samples tested with traditional bacterial culture come back with a “no growth” result, often leaving dairy producers right where they started – with a mastitic cow and no diagnosis for accurate treatment.

New Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) regulations were implemented on Jan. 1, 2017, by the FDA and required producers to get authorization from a veterinarian before purchasing and administering antibiotics that can also be used to treat human diseases for livestock.

Chromium supplementation minimizes the negative effects of the stress response by consistently decreasing serum cortisol during stressful periods for cattle and other species.

Whether expanding, starting up a robotic dairy using first-lactation animals, or transitioning parlor or tiestall cows to a robot, many dairy farmers run into the same problem: There are some cows that struggle to adapt to the new system. 

As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Is it possible there are “weak links” in your fresh cow treatment protocols that could set your dairy up for vulnerabilities, either for antibiotic residues or lack of efficacy?

In the dairy industry, we often underestimate the power of parasites. Parasites have the ability to impact conception rates, milk production and immunity. It’s often assumed a herd is parasite-free simply because there are no outward signs of parasitism.

“The thoughtless person playing with penicillin treatment is morally responsible for the death of the man who succumbs to infection with the penicillin-resistant organism.

A case of ketosis comes with a cost, but it is possible to manage this metabolic disease to minimize its impact on dairy herds.