New Tool Developed to Help Dairy Farmers Proactively Manage Mastitis
UK - A new tool to help dairy farmers make better decision about mastitis management in their herds has been launched today, at UK Dairy Day.
12 September 2018
2 minute read
Developed by AHDB Dairy and the University of Nottingham, this easy-to-use tool will give farmers and vets a better understanding of the mastitis patterns in the herd.
The Mastitis Pattern Tool identifies problem areas and potential risks to udder health and gives farmers and their veterinary adviser a way of tracking progress in the herd.
Dr Jenny Gibbons, Senior Dairy Scientist at AHDB said: “As an industry, and within dairy businesses we generate an immense amount of data associated with mastitis. The challenge comes when trying to utilise this data to make informed decisions to combat mastitis within dairy herds. This tool provides a fully automated method of assessing the predominant mastitis infection patterns present on farm, using somatic cell count (SCC) and clinical mastitis records.”
Professor Martin Green from the University of Nottingham, explains that: “In the past, it was difficult to recognise mastitis problems in herds until an outbreak emerged. But the Mastitis Pattern Tool gives you the ability to effectively track the udder health of your herd. The tool produces a mastitis pattern report that allows farmers and vets to assess and prioritise key management areas and potentially detect emerging problems”.
The tool uses cow SCC and clinical mastitis treatment records. Milk recording herds are at an advantage as cow SCC information is readily available. Using the tool, records are converted and merged into a simple output allowing farmers to assess the patterns of mastitis in the herd.
You can download the AHDB Mastitis Pattern Tool by clicking here.
TheCattleSite News Desk
