Recently, I was asked to investigate a spike in clinical mastitis cases on a dairy that I knew used excellent sanitation practices. Surprisingly, the cause turned out to be rather simple: a relief milker not wearing milking gloves.

If dairy veterinarians still viewed their primary role as treating individual sick animals, many in the profession would be obsolete. The 60-cow stanchion barn no longer dominates the culture of the dairy industry, and producers have evolved to a new era of dairying. Progressive research, innovative technologies and planned marketing opportunities have helped producers grow with the industry.