Editor's Note: Read the first part of this story, What are zoonotic diseases? Where are the risks? While microorganisms able to cause disease can be found anywhere on the dairy, below are a few areas of the operation known to pose zoonotic risks to workers.

Editor's Note: Read the second part of this story, Preventing zoonotic disease on the dairy. Those working in close contact with dairy cattle may be exposed to a variety of microorganisms that can cause disease. Some of these microorganisms can affect both humans and non-human animal species. A disease that can be transmitted between humans and other animal species is called a zoonotic disease or zoonosis.

The University of Kentucky recently released a new fact sheet on fresh cow health management. The 15-page document includes photo tutorials, scoring systems and record sheets to aid in fresh cow handling from one to 21 days in milk.

Lameness in dairy cattle presents significant health, performance and welfare challenges and is often responsible for the decision to cull an animal from an operation. The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently developed guidelines to help veterinarians and their beef and dairy producer clients better manage lameness on their operations.

A large portion of any dairy farmer’s milk check can come from quality bonuses. These quality bonuses ordinarily pay additional money for shipments of milk that test low in somatic cell count (SCC) as well as bacteria, which is measured by total plate count. These are on top of the usual payments for butterfat and protein. All of these quality components have a direct effect on the finished dairy product that is created with this milk.

Producing high-quality milk is a front-and-center goal of most dairy operations. Controlling mastitis and treating it effectively are key to achieving that goal. As the general public turns up its scrutiny on food production, it’s as important as ever to make sure we as an industry are using antibiotics responsibly.

Implementing a whole-farm approach to mastitis can impact farm profitability. A partnership between farmer and veterinarian managing udder health, based around protocols and education, can see a milk-quality program develop to minimize losses through mastitis. That can be worth several dollars per cow per year.

We have been talking a lot about teat dip lately. Recently, I have covered the basic chemistry behind it, the types of germicides, and the other ingredients and what they do. What we haven’t spoken about is who is making the dip and how it is being made. Why are we paying so much attention to this aspect? Because it is just as important as what is in the dip. Manufacturing facilities and standard operating procedures can make all the difference when we are making teat dip.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to mastitis treatment. With numerous mastitis-causing pathogens lurking on dairies, producers and veterinarians need flexible mastitis treatment options to effectively treat mastitis. Extended therapy is a relatively new treatment option in the last decade that offers flexibility.

The aim of a properly managed and nutritionally sound dry cow and early lactation program is to prepare the cow for a profitable lactation. Maximizing dry matter intakes, minimizing negative energy and protein balance, maintaining calcium homeostasis and minimizing immune dysfunction are critical points to a smooth transition into lactation.