Selective treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows

Over the last few years, the author, alongside many other dairy vets, has been working with dairy farmers to support them in carrying out selective dry cow therapy in their herds, while ensuring that cow health and welfare are not compromised. We can now have more informed discussions about the selective treatment of clinical mastitis in lactating dairy cows. This has been enabled by the recent advances and availability of cow-side pathogen testing, with several publications in the scientific literature evaluating farms carrying out selective treatment of clinical mastitis compared to blanket treatment, as well as the improved on-farm data we have around mastitis cases and mastitis patterns in our herds. The advantage of selective treatment is predominantly the reduced antibiotic use aligned with the One Health approach to the responsible use of antibiotics. There are other advantages to the selective treatment of cases, including targeted (narrow spectrum) antibiotic use and the increased farm focus and close monitoring of mastitis cases and cure rates on farm that come with reviewing mastitis treatment protocols. Vets can also be actively engaged in discussing the treatment and monitoring outcomes of mild and moderate cases of clinical mastitis, an area that has often been overlooked as a result of the focus on sick cows or toxic/severe cases requiring more involved and tailored therapy. Rapid and accurate cow-side pathogen tests allow selective treatment of clinical mastitis to be carried out on farm without compromising on treatment delay, so that the most effective treatment can be given to the appropriate mastitis cases. The focus of mastitis control must always remain on preventative measures to reduce the number of new infections. Through on-farm engagement with a wider mastitis discussion and creating bespoke tailored mastitis treatment programmes as part of selective treatment of clinical mastitis, this can serve as a regular reminder that prevention of new infections will always lead to the most significant benefits. This article reviews the available information on the selective treatment of clinical mastitis and presents some initial steps in data gathering and evaluation to ensure that the appropriate farms are undertaking selective treatment of mastitis cases.