What is mastitis?
Mastitis, also known as udder inflammation, is a common health problem in dairy cows. It can also affect humans and other animals [1]. In livestock farming, it is the most common disease. Mastitis occurs when a cow's udder becomes infected [2]. Klebsiella is a bacterium that can cause mastitis. There are two different forms of mastitis: clinical and subclinical mastitis.
Clinical Mastitis
This form of mastitis is visible and often presents as changes in the milk, such as the presence of clots, flakes, or blood [3]. Symptoms in the cow itself can include a swollen or painful udder, fever, and general signs of illness.
Subclinical Mastitis
Subclinical mastitis is not directly visible to the naked eye. The milk appears normal, but the cow has an increased cell count in the milk [2], which is a sign of infection. This form is more insidious because it often goes unnoticed, yet it affects milk production and the cow's health.
The cow's health suffers as a result. In the worst cases, the cow experiences pain and fever. She eats and chews less, and milk production decreases. This disease costs dairy farms a lot of money. In the Netherlands, the damage is estimated to exceed 100 million euros. What would it mean for you if you had 50% fewer cases of mastitis per year?
The cause of mastitis in cows
Mastitis is usually caused by infections from bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and algae. It is not caused by a specific bacteria like salmonellosis. There are multiple culprits in the case of mastitis. The most well-known are Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Other culprits include Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and coagulase-negative staphylococci.
A key factor contributing to the development of mastitis is an unhygienic living environment. The less hygienic the cow's environment, the higher the risk of mastitis. Dirty bedding areas, poorly cleaned milking equipment, poor water quality, and damaged teats all increase the risk of infection. Moreover, stagnant water and biofilm in drinking troughs can also be a source of pathogens.
Combating mastitis
Hygiene plays the central role in preventing problems like mastitis. It begins with properly cleaning the teats before the milking equipment is attached. This prevents bacteria from being transferred from cow to cow. Post-treatment of the teats is also very important, but care must be taken to avoid damaging the skin during cleaning. Methods such as removing hair on the udders by burning or shaving help prevent dirt buildup. It is also advisable to use a separate cloth or paper for each cow when cleaning the teats.
In addition, clean drinking water is essential for both prevention and the overall health of the cows. Contamination by bacteria can also occur through other routes, such as stagnant water in a drinking trough, which can be a source of pathogens. Many bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeasts are found in drinking troughs and water systems. Together, they form a slippery layer called biofilm. Biofilm is essentially a collaboration of all these microorganisms, making them stronger and more dangerous to your livestock.
Clean drinking water has a dual effect against Mastitis
Clean drinking water prevents contamination through the water while simultaneously boosting resistance. Animals with strong immunity are less susceptible to infections and get sick less often. If a cow ingests fewer pathogens, her body doesn’t need to use energy to fight them. This way, as much energy as possible goes toward (milk) production.
Have you ever measured the germ count in your drinking trough? The water quality in the trough is 25 times worse than at the source. Research from WUR shows that a mastitis-infected cow costs you €140 per cow per year [3]. A trough inspection only costs a few tens of euros. Clean drinking water also helps improve the immune system of your cows, reducing their risk of diseases like mastitis. Drinking troughs are a source of pathogens, including those causing clinical and subclinical mastitis. With Watter, the water is completely clean and eliminated as a source of infection.
Watter: clean drinking water and disinfectant
We have developed a technology that produces a harmless disinfectant on-site (in-situ). A Watter system uses electricity, water, and salt to create a biodegradable solution with the active ingredient HOCl, which neutralizes bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, and yeasts. It’s an effective disinfectant that is safe for humans, animals, and the environment. It can also be used as a disinfectant for udders, surfaces, housing, etc. No harmful chemicals, so it doesn’t corrode or irritate the udders.
So what is mastitis? It’s something that urgently needs your attention. If you do nothing, it can cost you a lot of money in damages. Do you want to better protect your animals against mastitis? You can try Watter now. Contact us for more information.
Want to learn more about cow health? Here are the relevant blogs
- The new alternative to claw baths for cows: disinfection mats
- How this dairy farmer reduce the mastitis level by 75% on his farm?
- Sun, water, food: udder health requires attention from the farmer
- Slime layer in cow drinking troughs
References:
1. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mastitis/
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