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

Klebsiella is a difficult bacteria to deal with because infections can come on quickly without warning and have the potential to be fatal. Understanding how it spreads and how to prevent it is important for protecting herd health.

Efficiency is key to making the milking system as profitable as possible. Parlor turns can greatly impact milk collected per stall, and milkabilty measures of individual cows, like milking speed and milking duration, will impact how quickly cows make their way through the parlor.

Determining the infecting bacteria type allows for a more guided treatment decision. Not all producers can work with a veterinarian to culture milk samples, and results from on-farm culturing can be difficult to interpret. However, being able to at least categorize the infecting pathogen can provide valuable information.

Economic culling decisions can be very complex and challenging to make. Ensuring every cow that passes through the milking system holds value will help lead to increased farm profitability.

When is the last time you evaluated milking settings in your parlor? Read our latest article to learn more.