The importance of the nonlactating period in the epidemiology of intramammary infection and strategies for prevention

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Natural defenses, phases of the dry period, and susceptibility to intramammary infection

There are a number of important factors that influence the susceptibility of the nonlactating gland to intramammary infection (IMI). These factors are outlined briefly below.

Lactoferrin inhibits the growth of enterobacterial organisms [4]. This inhibition is mediated by lactoferrin's ability to reversibly bind iron, although available to some organisms (eg, Streptococcus agalactiae) the iron bound in lactoferrin is relatively unavailable to the Enterobacteriacae. The activity of lactoferrin is

Strategies for the prevention of intramammary infection during the dry and transition periods

There are two main principles involved in the prevention of IMI during the dry and transition periods, namely to minimize the challenge from the environment and to maximize and supplement the cow's own defenses. A key component of any dry-cow management strategy has to be the use of antibiotic DCT or the use of internal or external teat sealants. The second half of this review will focus on the strategies for minimizing IMI at calving.

Antibiotic dry cow therapy and teat sealants

Antibiotic DCT was developed in the 1950s, initially to aid in the control of summer mastitis [41], [42], and was adopted as a cornerstone of Five-Point Plan in the 1960s [29], [30], [31]. It undoubtedly still plays an important role in the production of quality milk in modern dairy herds, although more recently the need for its blanket use has been challenged by the advent of efficacious internal teat sealants [43], [44]. However, there is an overwhelming argument for the blanket use of either

Other strategies

Many of the additional control measures commonly recommended for use in dry cows are based around extrapolation and the application of “common sense,” and therefore, are often not supported by the peer reviewed literature; however, they are still worthy of consideration.

Conclusion

Recent studies, which have highlighted the importance of the dry period, have far-reaching implications for our understanding of “environmental” mastitis and our approach to control of outbreaks of disease. In the past, control has centered around the management of the lactating and peri-parturient cow. Current knowledge would suggest that significant effort also needs to be directed toward management of the dry cow, and in particular, toward preventing new infections by minimizing bacterial

Summary

The dry period is a high risk period for the acquisition of new environmental IMIs, with over 60% of new IMIs occurring at this time. It also offers an ideal opportunity to improve udder health, through the judicious use of antibiotics to treat high SCC cows.

The prophylactic use of antibiotics in food producing animals is increasingly being called into question; DCT is the primary example of such antibiotic use in the dairy cow.

A holistic approach to management of the dry cow is a vital part of

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