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

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

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

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

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

6. Targets.
Mastitis Rate <40
BSCC <150

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

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

9. 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!

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

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

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

13. Natural Defences Within the udder Lactoferrin Immunoglobulins?
Inflammatory cells

14. 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’.

15. 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.

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

17. 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!!

18. 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.

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

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

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

22. Impact Forces

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

24. 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?

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

26. Vacuum
Incredible eyesight sometimes necessary!
Through solid walls!

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

28. 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.

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

30. Vacuum variation.
Dust free filters essential!

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

32. Natural Teat Defences

33. 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.

34. Natural Teat Defences

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

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 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

40. Natural Teat Defences
ACR switched off.
End flow.

41. 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.

42. 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.

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

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. The End