Relationship Between Udder and Leg Hygiene Scores and Subclinical Mastitis

This study aimed to compare three woodchip out-wintering pad (OWP) designs, and indoor cubicle housing with regard to cow dirtiness scores during the winter housing period, and udder health during both the winter period and the following lactation, for spring-calving dairy cows. The treatments were: an uncovered (UP) and covered (CP) OWP with a concrete feed apron; an uncovered OWP with self-feed silage pit provided directly on the woodchips (SP); and indoor cubicle housing (IC). Data were compared during 2 years: year 1 was a case study while year 2 was an experimental study. In year 1, treatments were UP (space allowance 5 12 m 2 /cow), CP (6 m 2 /cow) and IC. In year 2, all three OWP designs (12 m 2 /cow) were compared with IC. Animals were assigned to treatments at the end of lactation in the autumn, and remained there while dry until calving the following spring. Subsequently, all cows were at pasture during lactation. Outcome measures for analysis were cow dirtiness score, somatic cell score (SCS) and incidence of clinical mastitis during the dry period and during lactation. Quarter milk samples were also taken at drying off, calving and 3 weeks post partum both years, and at approximately 113 days in milk in year 2. Samples were analysed for presence of mastitis-causing agents and SCS was determined. Sub-clinical mastitis was diagnosed when cows had an SCS greater than 200 000, or California mastitis test greater than 1 in at least one quarter. In year 1, cows in CP were dirtier than cows in the other two treatments. These animals also had the highest SCS during lactation and tended to have more mastitis-causing agents isolated from quarter milk samples. In year 2, when all cows were stocked at the same density, cows in the sheltered OWP (i.e. CP) had similar dirtiness scores to cows in cubicles and significantly lower dirtiness scores than cows in the unsheltered OWP designs, i.e. UP and SP. However, there were no effects on SCS or quarter sample results. Cleaning of OWP's stocked at 12 m 2 /cow reduced cow dirtiness scores. However, cleaning of CP in year 1 when cows were stocked at 6 m 2 /cow had no effect on dirtiness scores. We conclude that dry cows stocked at 12 m 2 /cow on OWP's are unlikely to have udder health problems in the subsequent lactation. Furthermore, provision of shelter and cleaning of the woodchips are management factors that help to keep cows clean on OWP's.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The effect of out-wintering pad design on dirtiness score, somatic cell score and mastitis incidence in dairy cows

O’Driscoll

French²,

Meaney³

et al. 2008

“…An increased risk of high somatic cell count and intramammary infections has been associated with cows having dirty udders and legs (Schreiner and Ruegg, 2003;Ellis et al, 2007;Breen et al, 2009). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying risk factors for poor hind limb cleanliness in Danish loose-housed dairy cows

Nielsen

Thomsen²,

Sørensen³

2011

The objective of this study was to identify possible risk factors for poor cow hind limb cleanliness in Danish loose-housed, lactating dairy cows. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study of 1315 cows in 42 commercial Danish dairy herds with primarily Danish Holstein cows. The effect of four cow-level factors (parity, days in milk, daily lying time and lameness) and eight herd-level factors (herd size, milk production, milking system, floor type, access to pasture grazing, floor scraping frequency, hoof bathing frequency and hoof washing frequency) on the risk of having dirtier hind limbs were analysed using ordinal logistic regression fitting a proportional odds model. Cow hind limb cleanliness was scored using an ordinal score from 1 to 4: 1 being clean and 4 being covered in dirt. The odds ratios (ORs) estimated from the proportional odds model depict the effect of a risk factor on the odds of having a higher rather than a lower cleanliness score. First parity cows had an increased risk of being dirtier compared with third parity or older cows (OR 5 1.70). Compared with late lactation, early and mid lactation were associated with an increased risk of being dirtier (OR 5 2.07 and 1.33, respectively). Decreasing the daily time lying by 30 min was associated with an increased risk of being dirtier (OR 5 1.05). Furthermore, an increased risk of being dirtier was found in herds with no pasture access (OR 5 3.75).

“…The incidence of mastitis in a herd is influenced by managerial and environmental factors, such as housing system, cleanliness of cows, feeding regime, hygienic quality of feed and water, milking equipment and general practices related to, for instance, drying-off (Elbers et al, 1998;Barkema et al, 1999;Peeler et al, 2000;Schreiner and Ruegg, 2003;Nyman et al, 2007). The incidence of mastitis and the impact of the disease can be reduced by mastitis control, that is, various preventive measures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Which preventive measures against mastitis can increase the technical efficiency of dairy farms?

Hansson

Szczensa-Rundberg

Nielsen

2011

The aim of this paper was to explore if, and in that case how, various preventive measures against mastitis influenced the whole-farm economic outcome, measured as technical efficiency, of a sample of specialised dairy farms in Sweden. In particular, the paper aimed at analysing whether a change to preventive measures applied by fully efficient farms would be a way for inefficient farms to become fully efficient. First, technical efficiency was assessed for each farm in the sample based on farm-level accounting data and the data envelopment analysis. In a second step, the effects of preventive measures against mastitis (collected through a mail questionnaire) on technical efficiency were assessed with logistic regression. Keeping cows in a loose-housing barn, stimulating udders manually during milking, and having cows standing on clean bedding during milking were found to significantly increase the probability of a farm being fully efficient. Once the farmer considers the somatic cell count (SCC) to be too high, undertaking measures such as contacting a veterinarian, checking overall hygiene routines, and culling cows with high SCC were found to significantly increase the probability of a farm being fully efficient. Thus, these measures may be plausible targets for advisory services aimed at assisting farmers to become fully efficient, especially if they are confirmed in future studies. Several common preventive measures against mastitis, that is, choice of bedding material, frequency of cleaning stalls, pre-milking, post-milking teat disinfection, applying a milking order based on the SCC of cows, and milking high-SCC cows with a separate cluster, were found to have no statistically significant effect on farm economic outcome. However, these measures may still be valuable for non-economic goals, such as increased animal welfare, and the results imply that they can be implemented without negative impact on the economic performance of the farm.