Case Study: Nant Goch Mastitis Control

Cutting the rate of new clinical mastitis cases reduces antibiotic use and helps dairy farm save £55,000 a year.

A WELSH dairy farm is saving a staggering £55,000 a year on cases of clinical mastitis, compared to a few years ago, after implementing the AHDB Dairy Mastitis Control Plan, which has led to a reduced rate of new cases in early lactation. This has been achieved by improved dry and calving cow management and meant a significant reduction in the use of antibiotics used on farm.

In 2013, the overall clinical mastitis rate at Nant Goch, Pen y Bont, Oswestry averaged nearly 70 cases per 100 cows/year across the 700-cow herd. When the Mastitis Control Plan was implemented in 2014-15, mastitis was costing the business an estimated £117,927 a year. However, the mastitis rate has now been reduced by 50% and somatic cell count has also decreased significantly, and in 2015-16 the cost had been cut to £62,894.

^* Estimated total cost calculated from farm-specific figures for the cost of a clinical case of mastitis, including milk price, feed and fertiliser cost, treatment cost, herdperson time, reduction in milk yield, proportion of mastitis cases that are severe, and cows culled from the herd due to mastitis

In the 12 months ending May 2016, there were 256 less cases of mastitis on the farm than for the 12 months ending May 2013, meaning 1,536 fewer antibiotic tubes were used, at an average of six tubes per case.

A Farming Connect Focus Site project has continued with the Mastitis Control Plan at Nant Goch, with the aim of improving udder health and mastitis control in the herd and reducing antibiotic use. Vet Dr James Breen, a Royal College recognised specialist in cattle health and production, works closely with the herd’s own veterinary practice and recently spoke at a joint event between AHDB Dairy and Farming Connect at Nant Goch.

He said: “The outstanding progress in mastitis control at Nant Goch highlights the benefits in implementing the Mastitis Control Plan – and in this case the clear impact that infections during the dry period were having in the next lactation. Through making a small number of targeted improvements to the environment and management of close to calving cows, the herd has cut the cost of mastitis which has improved cow welfare and productivity and significantly reduced the use of antibiotic on farm.”

When the Mastitis Control Plan was implemented on the farm, analysis of clinical cases and somatic cell count data showed the importance of environmental infections in the herd, originating predominately during the dry period. Management and husbandry changes have helped reduce the rate at which cows develop clinical mastitis during the first 30 days of lactation from two to three cases for every 12 cows at risk to less than one in 12 cows affected. In the 12 months ending May 2016, 97 cows were affected with clinical mastitis in the first month, compared to 247 from May 2012-May 2013.

“A combination of changes were important at Nant Goch, including cubicle management for the close to calving cows, management of the calving yard and group changes around calving. In addition to the environment of the dry cows, we have also improved hygiene at drying-off to reduce the risk of infection during administration of dry cow therapy, and moved to using teat sealant alone in low somatic cell count cows at drying-off to reduce the risk of E. coli mastitis in the next lactation.”

The adoption of a selective approach to dry cow therapy has also been an important step in reducing the risk of clinical mastitis in fresh calvers, as well as further reducing antibiotic use, which highlights how the industry is working with the government to reduce antibiotic usage on farms.

The Farming Connect Knowledge Exchange Hub has produced a technical article on Selective Dry Cow Therapy. Click here to visit the Hub.