Written by Dr. Tiago Tomazi, PhD, D.V.M., Dairy Technical Services, Merck Animal Health.
It is well-known that reproductive performance is the foundation of profitability on a dairy. But what is one of the biggest threats to that foundation? The answer may be surprising – it's the dry period, when cows are most susceptible to new intramammary infections (IMI). An ever-present concern on dairies, mastitis can lead to lost milk production, high treatment costs, reduced milk quality, decreased reproductive efficiency, early herd removal, and/or death.
Several published studies from the last three decades have investigated the impact that clinical or subclinical mastitis post-calving has on reproductive performance.1,2,3 A meta-analysis that combined data from 29 separate studies, conducted by The Ohio State University in 2019, set out to measure the effects of mastitis on the reproductive performance of dairy cows.3 Comparing cows with mastitis to cows without mastitis revealed differences in the following reproductive measures4:
- Increased days to first service
- Increased days open
- Differences in pregnancy per artificial insemination
- Greater pregnancy loss
The data demonstrates that post-calving mastitis has detrimental effects on reproduction, providing even more incentive for dairies to take steps to prevent new IMI during the dry period. Specifically, efforts should be taken during the first two weeks and the last two weeks of the dry period when a cow is at her greatest susceptibility for mastitis.2
To reduce the risk of early lactation IMI acquired during the dry period, prevention measures and proper dry cow management are necessary. At Merck Animal Health, the full-solution M-Power dairy portfolio provides producers with all the tools to support the health of each cow in every stage of lactation to safeguard cow well-being, milk quality and overall profitability.
The M-Power platform is the only full-solution dairy portfolio in the animal health industry, combining identification, monitoring and biopharma tools to elevate results. When used together, each tool amplifies the others to help detect issues sooner, intervene with targeted treatments and reduce stress to overcome challenges before they inhibit performance.
In cases of mastitis, the M-Power dairy portfolio empowers producers to proactively identify behavioral changes before clinical symptoms appear with SenseHub Dairy Monitoring. Early detection allows producers to tailor treatment for individual animals. When treatment or prevention measures are necessary, Merck Animal Health offers a comprehensive portfolio of udder health solutions — including targeted treatments, a gram-negative vaccine, pour-on fever relief and teat sealant — to fit every cow’s needs.
And the support goes well beyond products. Merck Animal Health recognizes that proper dosing and administration is just as important as which product is used. That’s why we offer dry-off consulting as well as dry cow management protocols and employee training modules available through Dairy Care365®.
The M-Power dairy full-solution approach is designed to help producers work the way they want to work by combining animal monitoring with targeted, highly effective treatments, low-stress vaccines, and convenient supporting therapies. From lactation to dry-off, Merck Animal Health helps cows perform their best to shield your milk yield. Visit M-Power-Dairy.com to learn more.
References:
1. Tomazi T, et al. Negatively controlled, randomized clinical trial comparing different antimicrobial interventions for further treatment of clinical mastitis caused by Gram-positive pathogens. J Dairy Sci. 2021;104(3)3364-3385.
2. Wilson DJ, et al. Comparison of seven antibiotic treatments with no treatment for bacteriological efficacy against bovine mastitis pathogens. J Dairy Sci. 1999;82:1664-1670.
3. Comparison of endotoxin concentrations in BOVILIS® J-5 with those in three commercially available Gram-positive, lipopolysaccharide core-antigen vaccines, Merck Animal Health technical bulletin, 2020.
4. Field trial to compare efficacy of BOVILIS® J-5 and ENVIRACOR® J-5 vaccines against clinical coliform mastitis during early lactation, Merck Animal Health technical bulletin, 2020.
