Correctly differentiating mastitis from teat sealant residue is important to minimize unnecessary interventions and to make sure we’re using antibiotics judiciously on farms. 

When an antibiotic is administered, susceptible bacteria may be eliminated, allowing resistant bacteria to thrive and become dominant. This can make the antibiotic ineffective for future treatments and can therefore increase the risk of infections persisting in the afflicted animal and spreading to other animals in the herd, or to humans. 

A vet shares her experiences creating and implementing an autogenous vaccine for pinkeye, along with tips for treatment and prevention.

Approximately 50% of dairy cows, the pinnacle of metabolic athletes within the species, will experience a production-associated disease (e.g., mastitis, metritis, ketosis, displaced abomasum) in every lactation. Even in the best facilities with the best management, mastitis is an inherent risk that can’t be eliminated, so our aim is to reduce it.

A mysterious disease that pops up suddenly, spreads quickly and strikes with devastating consequences is pretty much every dairy farmer’s worst nightmare. For one ill-fated central Alberta dairy, this nightmare became a grim reality.

Studies show the decrease in fertility can be strongly associated with transition cow health. Utilizing a Double Ovsynch program could increase fertility even in cows with health events during transition.

Calving is not a disease; it is a stage that needs to be managed and how that is done will impact a cow for her entire lactation. Best practices for transitioning a cow from far-off fresh to her lactation group has a host of areas that need focused attention by the entire management team on the dairy. 

With 10% to 35% of cows experiencing mastitis each lactation, grappling with its cost is a reality of milking cows. A Canadian study showed mastitis costs dairy farmers roughly $660 per cow per year, making it the costliest disease of dairy cattle.

Cases began to appear more frequently from 2021 onward, as Chilliwack, British Columbia-based veterinarian John Dick began witnessing more cattle infected with S. Dublin in his clients’ herds, noticing that clinical signs varied markedly from the clinical signs typically present in other salmonella serotypes.