The Impact of the Milking machine on Mastitis Stuart Gough BVM&S MRCVS

Mastitis. Farmers perception- What mastitis means to a vet.

Mastitis In reality, increasing drug sales should set alarm bells ringing and provoke an appraisal of parlour function and milking protocols.

Inflammation of the udder Define Mastitis. Inflammation of the udder Clinical Subclinical Depends on the level of active immune response & visible external changes.

£ Costs ? You tell me! Clinical case? Sub-clinical cases SCC>200= £250 per 100000litres. SCC>500=£500 At todays price 1-2% reduction in profit. Cost of a cull!!!!

Targets. Mastitis Rate <40 BSCC <150

Mastitis Rate? Number of cases per 100 cows per year. Each recurrence is a ‘new’ case. But don’t forget to record the data!!!!

Annual Cell Counts- UK, 1970-1999 The decline is impressive, even without the ‘wonky’ image!

The Five Point Plan. At last he gets to the point! Treat and record all clinical cases. Post Milking teat dip Dry Cow therapy Cull chronic cases Regular Milking Machine Maintenance! At last he gets to the point!

To understand the impact of the milking machine we must first understand- The different types of mastitis. The cows natural defence mechanisms. Contagious Environmental

Natural Defences Skin Keratin- hostile environment for bacteria 4-5 times thicker than normal skin Fatty Acids- bacteriostatic

Natural Defences. Teat Canal Cells and lipids- bacteriostatic Sphincter contraction-interlocking folds. Keratin secretion. This process takes 30 mins after milking to complete.

Natural Defences Within the udder Lactoferrin Immunoglobulins? Inflammatory cells

Contagious- Staphs’n’streps-+ other special guests. Types of Mastitis. Contagious- Staphs’n’streps-+ other special guests. Cow to cow during milking ‘Grow’ through the canal – slowly Herds with cell count ‘issues’.

E.coli, Strep uberis+others! Types of Mastitis. Environmental E.coli, Strep uberis+others! Infection established following contamination of the teat end which gains access to the udder! Dry period Propulsion during milking Open teat canals after milking.

Can the milking machine? Spread contagious mastitis? Cause mastitis from environmental bacteria? Alter natural defence mechanisms? YES!!

Spread Contagious Mastitis? Liners- The only piece of the milking machine which comes into contact with the cow! 1 contagious cow will infect the subsequent 6-8 cows!!

2500- The magic number. An (easy) example- 16/32 parlour milking 200 cows 2x day Each liner visits 12.5 teats twice daily- or 25 teats per day. So in 100 days it will have done 2500 milkings. Absolute maximum lifespan is 6 months.

An expensive ‘solution’! Liner disinfection is potentially a huge step forward. But look critically at all available options for achieving this.

Spread Contagious Mastitis Small claw pieces Blocked bleed holes Cause flooding of short milk tubes and spread of infection between quarters.

Mastitis from Environmental Bacteria. The milking machine provides the opportunity for propulsion into the udder.

Impact Forces

Potential Reasons. Wet teats Worn liners Low vacuum Vacuum variation!!

Impact forces-Vacuum 10s to reach full vacuum Check the guage! Check it against the last report!! Is the same vacuum maintained from 1st to last cluster?

Impact forces-Vacuum It’s vital to be able to monitor the guage from within the pit. Good eyesight often essential!

Vacuum Incredible eyesight sometimes necessary! Through solid walls!

Impact forces-Vacuum Variation Reserve! 1 in 5 rule. Max 2kPa drop Max 3s recovery

Impact forces-Vacuum variation An efficient plant should be able to leak air through a number of clusters equivalent to the number of milkers + 1 with little effect on vacuum.

Vacuum variation. Proper function of the regulator is vital to maintain a constant vacuum level.

Vacuum variation. Dust free filters essential!

Natural teat defences Simple observation of teats immediately tells us if natural defences are being compromised.

Natural Teat Defences

Natural Teat Defences Teat end damage will be caused by excessive vacuum or excessive exposure to vacuum. Let the cows tell you- watch their behaviour towards the end of milkout.

Natural Teat Defences

Natural Teat Defences. D phase is vital for massage and blood flow to minimise teat end damage. Optimum setting 200ms

Natural Teat Defences Increased time to milkout will increase exposure time to vacuum. Worn, tired liners will lengthen the A phase Cracked rubberware on pulsator tubes prevents full opening of liners.

Natural Teat Defences ACR function. Default setting on installation usually 200ml min. 400ml min probably minimum. Can often reach 600ml min without yield drop. Do not override for ‘slow’ cows- they just get slower and no yield benefit.

Natural Teat Defences High yielding cow, peak flow. Pressure at teat end. Variation due to milk slugs hitting the claw piece and moving down the long milk tube. Not unusual to fall to 28kPa

Natural Teat Defences ACR switched off. End flow.

Natural Teat Defences Aim is to minimise exposure time to increased vacuum as flow rates drop. This should reduce the chance of teat end damage.

The Good News Optimal parlour function to reduce mastitis incidence will also increase efficiency, reducing time spent in parlour. Correct pulsation- Adding 20ms to the B phase could equate to 73 hrs per year!! (4% decrease in milkout time, =12 mins day, 365 days). Optimal ACR function- potentially even greater effect in herringbone or rapid exit parlours. No longer waiting on ‘slow’ cows.

Regular Servicing Performing 12 monthly servicing often equates to going 72000 miles between services in your car! Would you?- if your livelihood depended on a safe, functioning vehicle.

Dynamic Testing Critical appraisal of parlour function during milking time is the only way to assess the effect the plant is having on the cows.

With Thanks to- Peter Edmondson and Roger Blowey- for the use of some images from Mastitis Control in Dairy Herds. Matt Gough (11)- for creating a lot of the presentation.

The End