I was at the Canadian Dairy XPO this year having some great mastitis conversations with progressive producers. In my biased sample of interactions, there were generally two strategies when I asked how they treated mastitis: either treat everyone or treat no one. Both approaches are understandable, but neither is optimal. 

Researchers have sought to understand what motivates and prevents farmers from adopting selective clinical mastitis protocols. By helping dairy farmers and veterinarians navigate the identified barriers and by providing support, we can better position the dairy industry to achieve long-term improvement of antimicrobial stewardship practices on dairy farms.

“I don’t know if there’s a secret,” says owner Margreet Dijkstra of Sylvanside Dairy’s award-winning milk quality. “We just have an eye for details.” She also credits excellent cow comfort, no shortcuts and consistency.

We often hear that mastitis costs the U.S. dairy industry $2 billion per year. But what does this mean on a case level?

The Gagnonval Farm in Sainte-Hénédine, Quebec, has been equally owned by brothers Marc and Daniel Gagnon since 1994. If its name rings a bell for you, it’s most likely due to the exceptional quality of milk produced there.