When it comes to productive cows, there’s one place the conversation has to start — mastitis. It is the dairy industry’s constant bogeyman, costing producers an estimated $2 billion in losses per year. In fact, a single case of mastitis can cost up to $444 per cow, with indirect costs extending into future lactations.1
Making matters more complicated, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. There’s not one management tweak, one product or one technology that can eliminate the mastitis headache.
However, there is one portfolio that contains every tool you need to cut mastitis losses. It’s the M-Power portfolio from Merck Animal Health. As the only full-solution portfolio in animal health, the M-Power approach empowers producers to prevent new infections, detect issues sooner and treat mastitis effectively to maintain productive cows. It’s a unique, holistic approach that puts producers (and their bottom line) first.
Catch illness before clinical signs appear
SenseHub® Dairy monitoring, the industry-leading technology in the M-Power portfolio, allows producers to have eyes on their herds 24/7 to proactively identify behavioral changes. By detecting issues earlier, treatments can start sooner to minimize time out of the milking herd and in the hospital pen.
Looking for insights in the parlor? SenseHub Dairy milking control systems provide unmatched milk yield data on each cow in the lactating herd, empowering producers to make more informed decisions to safeguard cow well-being and increase herd productivity.
Shield your yield with prevention and treatment solutions that stand apart
No matter what stage of production a cow is in, the M-Power portfolio has a quality and economical solution. Available tools include:
- AMOXI-MAST®(amoxicillin intramammary infusion) — Get milk back in the tank fast with the lowest cost-per-cure treatment.2 AMOXI-MAST effectively targets gram-positive bacteria, allowing producers to treat clinical mastitis with a high overall cure rate of 80% or more.
- ORBENIN-DC™ (cloxacillin benzathine intramammary infusion) — ORBENIN-DC targets the most common mastitis pathogens at dry-off, effectively curing existing infections and preventing new ones throughout the dry period. With the shortest required dry period (just 28 days) and zero milk withhold post-calving, cows can start milking sooner.
- BOVILIS® J-5 — A gram-negative core-antigen vaccine that is proven to help reduce both the frequency and severity of clinical coliform mastitis. BOVILIS J-5 contains the lowest endotoxin levels on the market to help minimize stress and potential side effects.5
- BANAMINE® TRANSDERMAL (flunixin transdermal solution) — The first and only pour-on approved by the FDA for control of fever caused by mastitis, BANAMINE TRANSDERMAL goes to work quickly, and the simple, convenient application means reduced labor and less stress on cows.
Do dry off right every single time
The majority of environmental mastitis cases in the first 100 days of milk originate during the dry period.6 That’s why Merck Animal Health developed the Dairy Care365® “Dry Cow Management” online training module, available in both English and Spanish. It consists of five lessons that go through not only the “what,” but, just as importantly, the “why.”
Along with online training, try these employee training tips to sharpen your dry cow management:
- Clearly identify dry cows with leg band or other clear means of identification.
- Administer dry cow antibiotics to help cure existing subclinical infections and prevent new infections from occurring during the early dry period.
- Apply an internal teat sealant.
- Make sure workers understand vaccine protocols.
- Move cows into a clean, dry and comfortable environment.
- Hold regular training and refresher sessions to prevent protocol drift.
Mastitis can’t be eliminated completely. But its impact can be curtailed by taking a holistic approach.
Speak with a Merck Animal Health rep today, or visit M-Power-Dairy.com to support udder health at every stage.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
AMOXI-MAST: Milk taken from animals during treatment and for 60 hours (2.5 days) after the last treatment must not be used for food. Treated animals must not be slaughtered for food purposes within 12 days after last treatment.
BANAMINE TRANSDERMAL: Not for use in humans. Keep out of reach of children. Milk from treated animals must not be used for 48 hours after treatment. Cattle must not be slaughtered within 8 days. Do not use in certain types of cattle.
BOVILIS J-5: Contains oil adjuvant. Accidental self-injection requires immediate medical attention.
ORBENIN-DC: For dry cows only. Do not use within 28 days of calving. Do not slaughter within 28 days of treatment.
1 Rollin E, et al. The cost of clinical mastitis in the first 30 days of lactation: An economic modeling tool. Prev Vet Med. 2015;122(3):257-264.
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 Johnson AP, et al. Randomized noninferiority study evaluating the efficacy of 2 commercial dry cow mastitis formulations. J Dairy Sci. 2016;99:593-607.
4 Aruda AG, et al. Randomized noninferiority clinical trial evaluating 3 commercial dry cow mastitis preparations, Part 1. J Dairy Sci. 2013;96:4419-4435.
5 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.
6 Bradley AJ, Green MJ. The importance of the nonlactating period in the epidemiology of intramammary infection and strategies for prevention. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2004;20:547-568.
Company Description:
With identification, monitoring and biopharma products fully integrated in one portfolio, Merck Animal Health offers the only true full-solution approach in the dairy industry. Which means you get the tools you need to eliminate guesswork, solve specific problems, let cows be cows and put more milk in the tank. It’s the way you want to work, working better than ever before. Learn more about this unique approach to dairy at M-Power-Dairy.com.
