When you think about summer, do the words “heat” and “humidity” instantly come to mind? How about the words “salmonella” and “outbreak”? The truth is the heat and humidity of summer can create the ideal environment on a dairy for a salmonella outbreak.

Earlier this year, Dr. Dave Rhoda, a Wisconsin veterinarian, shared treatment protocol planning with a group of dairy and beef producers at the beef checkoff’s annual Dairy Producer Communications breakfast at the Cattle Industry Convention in Tampa, Florida.

Mastitis is among the most costly diseases of dairy cattle. It is a complex disease with many causes, many presentations and many treatment options. Prevention remains the most effective means of controlling this disease.

Historically high cull cow values, along with increased scrutiny for residues in milk and meat, should have already advanced your decision process for mastitis treatment by now. A valid veterinary-client-patient-relationship requires that every dairy owner and manager regularly reviews all of the treatment protocols with their attending veterinarian and includes plans to decide which cases are worth treating.

Dairy farmers work from sunup to sundown to establish a herd of high-producing cows, but no farmer is thrilled with the risks and consequences that linger in the shadows. As farmers, we have to face the facts: High-producing cows are at a significantly greater risk of contracting a mastitis infection.

Just when you think you’ve done everything you can to grow healthy, robust heifers and avoid health challenges such as respiratory disease and scours, there’s more: heifer mastitis. It can appear in your heifer pens earlier than you think. Exposure to mastitis-causing pathogens happens at several points in heifers’ lives, from birth to calving.

Often, we hear things like, “Perhaps you should change your treatment; maybe the ‘bugs’ on your farm are building up a resistance to what you are using.” I’ve heard arguments that this could happen and arguments that this is not a concern for dairy farmers. But has anyone ever suggested this about teat dip disinfectants? I don’t think I’ve heard that discussion too many times, if ever.

Mastitis is a complicated and costly problem for the dairy farmer. No simple solutions are available for its prevention. Some aspects are well understood and documented in scientific literature. Others are controversial and opinions are often presented as facts. However, from the dairy farm perspective, two simple product mandates are required – simplicity in use and cost.

Editor’s note: The following information is reprinted with permission from a National Mastitis Council fact sheet. DefinitionOrganic dairy production in the U.S. is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) via its National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP was established with the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) by Congress in 1990.

Functional claw trimming was devised by Toussaint Raven in the 1970s. The protocol for claw trimming was developed based on animals and housing systems at that time. Today, the housing conditions and the appearance of animals have changed remarkably.