Existing diagnostic tests used to detect subclinically infected quarters are not very accurate. The most widely used test misidentifies 35% of the non-infected quarters as infected, and more importantly, misses 30% of the infected quarters. AAD technology offers near-perfect accuracy at identify infected quarters – and infected quarters only!
Stopping mastitis three ways
AAD technology is ideally suited for uses at three different times in the cow’s cycle:
Freshening. More than 35% of mastitis infections occur early in lactation, within the first 10 days after freshening. So the ideal time to test for infection would be at freshening, before cows are turned into the milking herd to spread infection and while milk is still withheld. In fact, leading animal health companies and researchers advocate a “best management” process to identify subclinically infected quarters of fresh cows in the first few days after calving and treat them. The problem? Today’s diagnostics don’t work well on colostrum (a cow’s first milk). But AAD technology does. Because it is highly accurate on colostrum and can detect the earliest subclinical mastitis, it can greatly lower the incidence of mastitis.
Mid-lactation. To maximize productivity, infections and health problems must be managed mid-lactation. Because AAD technology identifies mastitis early, quickly, and accurately, it can minimize productivity losses in mid-lactation when used to test problem cows. This is especially true when composite samples are monitored and in-line “alerts” are triggered in automated milking lines. Wouldn’t it be nice to identify the infected quarter without the cost or time involved in culturing all four quarters?
Dry-off. Mastitis infections also increase at the end of the milking cycle. To guard against this, dairies may use universal dry cow treatment, or antibiotic treatment of all quarters. But blanket dry cow antibiotic therapy is becoming increasingly controversial – not to mention the expense. Because AAD technology can accurately, consistently identify subclinical mastitis, it makes it possible for producers to selectively treat only the infected quarters.
