Economic impact of subclinical mastitis treatment in early lactation using intramammary nisin.

Treatment of subclinical mastitis (SCM) during lactation is rarely recommended due to concerns related to both antimicrobial usage and the costs associated with milk discard. Nisin is a naturally produced antimicrobial peptide with a gram-positive spectrum that, when given to dairy cows, does not require milk discard. We evaluated the economic impact of the treatment of SCM during early lactation using a nisin-based intramammary treatment under different scenarios that included various treatment costs, milk prices, and cure rates.

Evaluating variations in metabolic profiles during the dry period related to the time of hyperketonemia onset in dairy cows.

Hyperketonemia (HYK) in early lactation can have a different impact on health and productivity depending on the timing of HYK onset. While specific metabolites measured during the dry period may serve as biomarkers of HYK, the correlations between metabolites represent a challenge for the use of metabolic profiles dataset, and little has been explored on HYK. This exploratory cohort study aimed a) to characterize the correlations among metabolites measured during the late dry period in dairy cows, and b) to identify biomarkers in the late dry period associated with the onset of HYK at the first (wk1) and second (wk2) week of lactation.

Evaluation of reticuloruminal temperature for the prediction of clinical mastitis in dairy cows challenged with Streptococcus uberis.

Automated monitoring devices have become increasingly utilized in the dairy industry, especially for monitoring or predicting disease status. While multiple automated monitoring devices have been developed for the prediction of clinical mastitis (CM), limitations in performance or applicability remain. The aims of this study were to (1) detect variations in reticuloruminal temperature (RRT) relative to an experimental intramammary challenge with Streptococcus uberis and (2) evaluate alerts generated automatically based on variation in RRT to predict initial signs of CM in the challenged cows based on severity of clinical signs and the concentration of bacteria (cfu/mL) in the infected quarter separately.

Association of Body Condition Score and Score Change during the Late Dry Period on Temporal Patterns of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Concentration and Milk Yield and Composition in Early Lactation of Dairy Cows.

Monitoring the body condition score (BCS) of dairy cows is a management strategy that can assist dairy producers in decision-making. The BCS and its variations reflect the level of body fat reserves and fat mobilization throughout the different stages of lactation. Cows that mobilize excessive amounts of fat reserves in response to the increased energy requirements of the transition period are more likely to have higher beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration in blood, leading to a higher incidence of hyperketonemia postpartum.