New Perspectives in Udder Health Management

The nature of mastitis is changing, and environmental mastitis pathogens cause most cases of mastitis on many modern dairy farms. These pathogens often cause mild cases but can become host adapted and behave similar to contagious pathogens. Clinical mastitis is often more difficult to monitor than subclinical disease, and successful control programs are based on effective detection, proper diagnosis, and identification of cow-level risk factors that influence treatment outcomes. Barriers to improvement of milk quality are often related to failure to motivate farm personnel. Development of integrated udder health plans and increased involvement in udder health programs are potential growth areas for veterinary practitioners.