Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that causes udder health problems on many dairy farms. This mastitis causative agent often produces chronically infected cows, which can lead to a significant increase in (tank) cell count and antibiotic use.
Within the staphylococcal bacteria there are roughly 2 groups that can cause problems in the field of udder health. The Staphylococcus aureus is a cow-related bacterium that feels very much at home in the udder and on the skin of cows. The bacterium has a number of properties that make it easy to cause chronic infections. For example, it attaches itself to the udder and often builds a biofilm there. This biofilm is a kind of slime layer in which the bacteria hides from the cow’s immune system, but also from antibiotics. These factors ensure that effective treatment is often disappointing and cows keep a chronically elevated cell count. We often see a somatic cell count in these cows that can fluctuate over time. This makes it even more difficult to identify and deal with infected animals. Infected animals can easily infect other animals during milking. But infected cows can also infect other animals via milk lying out in the boxes. It is therefore important to have an idea of which cows have a chronic infection, in order to prevent the development of new chronically infected cows.
Addressing Staphylococcal Mastitis Risk Factors
To have the most optimal effect in the fight against S. aureus It is important to address all risk factors. For example, transfer of the bacteria must be prevented during milking. Strict use of 1 cloth per cow and wearing gloves are important in the milking parlour. Use an effective and caring dip agent and rinse the milking clusters after a high cow somatic cell count, preferably with hot water (>85°). On robot farms, a well-functioning steam cleaning or other disinfection system is crucial. Also make sure that the milking machine is properly adjusted. Errors in the adjustment of the milking machine can cause teat washing or a bad teat condition. Both are disastrous for udder health on your farm. To give newly infected quarters a better chance of healing, it is recommended to treat them as soon as possible. Cows that have been infected for a longer period of time often respond less well to treatment. The removal of these cows is therefore worth considering, in order to reduce the infection pressure in this way.
The measures that you as a farmer have to take to tackle staphylococcal mastitis are mainly aimed at preventing the spread of an infected cow to healthy cows. In addition to the above management measures, it is also possible to vaccinate the flock against S. Aureus mastitis. Vaccination with Startvac® reduces the number of new infections (including subclinical mastitis cases) by 56%.(1) In addition, it has been shown that the healing of S. aureus infected quarters can be improved by 73% through vaccination. Startvac® is a vaccine that is effective against Staphylococcus aureus but also against E. coli, biofilm formation CNS, in Klebsiella mastitis.
(1)Y.H. Schukken et al., Efficacy of vaccination on Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci intramammary infection dynamics in 2 dairy herds, J. Dairy Sci. 97 :1–15, 2014
Know more about S. aureus and vaccinate? Please contact one of our vets: Jessica Hartjes, 06-3800 8533 (Netherlands), Pauline Athmer (Southern Netherlands), 06-8100 2036, Ruth Meenks (North Netherlands) 06-1370 2817, Sabine Hoogeveen (Western Netherlands) 06-8279 0165 or Anne-Lynn Geertshuis (East Netherlands), 06-2046 9304. You can also fill in the contact form below and we will contact you
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