Udder health management, bacteriological culturing, and antimicrobial use: Knowledge, implementation, attitude, and opinion among Flemish bovine dairy producers

Through an online questionnaire, we evaluated knowledge, implementation, interest, attitudes, and opinion regarding udder health management, bacteriological culturing (BC) of milk samples, and antimicrobial use among Flemish bovine dairy producers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, contingency tables, and multiple correspondence analysis. Most strikingly, 75% of the 126 participants were not able to differentiate clinical mastitis (CM) from subclinical mastitis (SCM) despite many years of knowledge dissemination through a multitude of channels. Accordingly, producers were stratified as so-called less-informed producers (LIP; 75% of the participants) and well-informed producers (WIP; 25% of the participants), respectively. Most participants (less WIP than LIP) receive limited to extended veterinary herd health monitoring services, whereas more WIP than LIP consider the role of their veterinarian as an udder health advisor as (very) important. Although BC is generally considered important, neither the LIP nor the WIP routinely perform milk sampling for BC in cases of CM and SCM. Even though 88% of all participating dairy producers (more WIP than LIP) consider themselves open to new information and treatment options, fewer than half actually apply selective dry cow therapy, and only 60% express (strong) interest if their veterinarian would offer rapid BC testing of milk as a service. Multiple correspondence analysis revealed that frequent veterinary contact (e.g., through herd health monitoring services) correlated with better knowledge and positive attitudes toward mastitis management and could be a key factor in changing behavior. We conclude that targeted knowledge exchange with dairy producers in the area of udder health management should continue, enabling them to make more correct and more substantiated management and treatment decisions. Doing so, proper antimicrobial stewardship can be ensured better and udder health outcomes can be improved. Opportunities for proactive veterinarians are certainly present.