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NEW! Mycoplasma Species and Mastitis Mastitis Causes and the Importance of Documenting Procedures
Mastitis, as has been stated many times, is an infection of the mammary gland and may be caused by any one of a large number of different bacterial species. Certain bacteria live primarily in the gland of the cow and on the teat skin and are spread primarily cow to cow by the milking cluster or the hands of milkers. These organisms are generally referred to as contagious mastitis pathogens. Another large group of bacteria is also present in the environment of the cow at all times and under various circumstances may cause a significant mastitis problem. These bacteria often are the cause of serious mastitis problems on dairies where contagious pathogens are well controlled and not the cause of many new infections. What species of environmental bacteria are likely to be involved? Two different groups generally are responsible for many of the new infections caused by environmental bacteria. One group is termed coliforms and includes E. coli and a somewhat similar bacteria group termed Klebsiella. The other group is the environmental Streptococci, which includes Streptococcus uberis, Streptococci dysgalactiae plus several other species that may on occasion may be involved. In the US, Strep uberis is the most frequently identified environmental Strep species in new infections caused by this group. Often this group is referred to simply as Strep non-ags. Coliforms The concentration of coliforms in the environment of the cow is a significant factor in the incident rate of new infections. When the concentration builds up the risk is increased and when the concentration is reduced the threat is reduced. Routine cleaning and replacement of soiled bedding is a simple practice that reduces risk by lowering the bacterial concentration. When cows are moved out of housing areas to be milked, stall maintenance should be performed. Remove soiled bedding from the back of stalls and replace it with fresher, clean material. This helps lower the bacteria count but recognize that as soon as it is soiled again the pattern of bacterial buildup begins anew so stall maintenance has to be done routinely. Monitor the alleys where cows walk to and from the milking area. If they are sloppy and wet there is a risk that some of this may be splashed onto legs, tail switches and teats and this again produces risk through increased bacterial exposure. These alleys should be clean when cattle are moving to and from the milking center. What is the best bedding material? For optimum performance the sand has to be replenished routinely and manure needs to be removed from the rear of the stalls frequently to minimize buildup. Sand poses a challenge for waste handling systems but it can be managed so problems are minimized. Sand handling equipment is available that allows it to be uniformly placed into stalls with little manual labor. In new dairies, with freestall construction, sand needs to be considered the bedding material of choice. When sand is not an option, sawdust, straw or recycled manure solids are frequently used. The key to limiting problems is frequent replacement of bedding as it becomes soiled to prevent bacteria counts from becoming excessive. Importance of Milking Clean Cows Properly cleaned teats reduces the amount of dirt present on the teats and teat ends but it also reduces the bacteria load. Sanitizing the teat will also reduce the bacteria load in proportion to the effectiveness of the sanitizer used. The more effective the sanitizer the greater the bacteria reduction. Finally, thoroughly wiping dry the teat and teat end, also removes soil load and the accompanying bacteria through mechanical action. Therefore if the teat skin is first wetted with a sanitizing material such as pre-dip sanitizers for 30-45 seconds and then thoroughly wiped dry, the wiping action helps remove many of the bacteria loosened by the wetting action of the sanitizer. The keys are to attach a milking unit to a clean, sanitized, dry teat and during milking be certain that dirty water is not allowed to locate and accumulate at the liner mouthpiece. When this occurs the threat of mastitis due to teat end exposure to coliforms as well as environmental Streptococci is reduced. Another tool, helpful in reducing coliform mastitis problems, is the use of coliform bacterins to vaccinate cows. These products provide cows with increased immunity against the coliform bacterial species. The vaccines, based on published research results, help reduce the severity of infections that may occur and this means fewer severely ill cows and less milk loss. Environmental Streps They pose a tough challenge. They are capable of living in the environment of the cow, on the cow and in the udder of the cow. Body sites including the vulva area, hair coat, skin and muzzle of the cow may all harbor these bacteria species. When they do enter the gland they may develop infections that last for short or extended periods and may behave somewhat as contagious bacteria. A major concern is that a high percentage of these udder infections become clinical requiring some type of treatment. Bedding materials may play a role in determining the numbers present in housing areas. They appear to thrive well on straw bedding materials so this may assist their buildup in areas such as bedded packs where dry cows are often housed. They can and will survive through the dry period if the dry cow treatment program is ineffective or non-existent. Take a close look at late lactation cows going dry and when they come fresh. If they are not effectively treated at dry-off the odds increase that in the first 30-60 days post freshening cows will encounter new Strep non-ag infections that may have originated during the latter part of the dry period. Make sure, using antibiotic sensitivity testing, that the dry cow antibiotic chosen is effective against environmental Strep species present. Environmental Streps can produce confusing symptoms. It is possible for them to seriously elevate the somatic cell count in infected cows and yet the milk from such cows may appear near normal based on visual inspection. Infected cows may release large numbers of bacteria into the raw milk and can significantly elevate the SPC of raw milk. Generally, at some point, a high percentage of these infections become clinical and cows then have to pulled out and treated. Treatment during lactation is not 100% effective and depending on the species, antibiotic resistance may be an issue. Minimizing problems with environmental Streps requires action similar to that associated with coliforms with a few exceptions. Since these organisms can be found growing on the hair coat and skin it is essential to remove udder hair and to milk a very clean, dry teat. If water drains off from the hair coat it can carry these bacteria with it into the liner mouthpiece and once in the cluster it is possible they may be able to enter the teat during milking if there are liner slips and squawks. Pre-dipping has been demonstrated effective in reducing the development of new infections. The bactericidal action of a teat dip, applied pre-milking, allows it to do a superior job of sanitizing the teats. Therefore when units are applied after the pre-dip has been wiped off, the teat skin has a low concentration of bacteria on it. Be aware of the importance of cleanliness in the calving area and work at making it clean and sanitary. Cows that calve and have uterine discharges may shed these Streptococcal species, contaminating the bedding material. This exposes the next cow that enters the calving area to potential risk. It is critical these areas be frequently cleaned and kept clean. Controlling environmental Strep mastitis problems involves several considerations. First is verifying, by sampling and culturing milk from clinical cases, that the dominant organism present is a Strep non-ag species. If this pattern is repeated in a number of clinical cases it is a strong indication this is the problem and the source has to be determined. Examine the milking routine. Look for wet, dirty cows entering the parlor, too much water being used to clean cows, long hair on the udders, ineffective pre-milking teat sanitation program, wet cows being milked, frequent liner squawks and slips poor teat dipping practices resulting in poor coverage. Failure in any of these areas can lead to problems. Review dry cow treatment products, housing conditions, freshening area cleanliness and calving area sanitation procedures between cows. Review the diet of the dry cows especially being certain the levels of selenium and vitamin E are in line with current recommendations. These compounds are known to assist the body in fighting off infection so deficiencies may play a role in increased new infections. Resolving the problem generally occurs over time as each possible cause is evaluated and improvements made. It is a never-ending battle and if slipups occur, the problem will return with the same consequences, elevated cell counts, clinical symptoms and lost milk.
Milk Quality Issues-Practical Considerations One of the requirements in the production of high quality raw milk is maintaining acceptable bacteria counts. This applies to all dairy farms regardless of size. Size however may play a role in maintaining acceptable standards and it has to be considered. There are official milk quality standards which must be met, but generally these are readily attained. The real issue in most instances is the monetary incentives available to producers who attain or exceed certain milk quality benchmarks. While that may appear logical, based on the number of calls we get regarding problems in this area, maybe it isn't so simple. Lets take a look at issues that may be involved, some of which may be a bit unusual. Bacteria-Milk Quality Concerns Extended Milking Times-Large Dairies Bacteria need only a few basic things for survival and growth. Food and water are essential and milk provides these needs. They also favor certain ranges in temperature. While this varies by bacterial species, warm conditions in a milking system during milking encourage bacterial growth. The last element in determining total bacterial growth is time. The longer the opportunity to grow under optimal conditions the greater the resulting concentration. Extended milking times result in milk-film buildup on system components such as filters, liners, rubber tubes, sensing devices etc. When this occurs, bacteria that may be present, can grow rapidly in the warmth and adequate food supply that is present. As a result, a long milking time can be a factor in the bacteria count of raw milk simply because it allows bacteria to grow with few restrictions over a span of 8-10 hours. As milk continues to pass over these areas it becomes contaminated as it moves to the cooling/holding tank. Ending milking and rinsing and then washing the system with hot alkaline solutions eliminates the majority of food and bacteria that may be associated with surface films. The use of an acid rinse following the alkaline wash renders the local conditions relatively acidic which hinders bacterial growth. Finally, use of a sanitizer prior to the next milking kills a high percentage of any residual bacteria that may have grown between milkings. In operations with very limited downtime, use of an acid sanitizer is an effective way to accomplish both objectives in one step. Long milking cycles means greater intervals between wash-ups and this increases the risk of high bacterial counts. It also means every washup has to be done correctly with the proper dose of the proper chemicals because the next opportunity won't occur for another 10-12 hours. There is no room for error. Rubber Components-Scheduled Changes Water Related Bacteria Problems Pseudomonas species are a category of bacteria frequently found on the interior surfaces of pipes and storage containers and they can be introduced into the milk inadvertently as the system is hosed down with such water. These bacteria have the ability to grow at refrigeration temperatures and can cause a major increase in preliminary incubation (PI) counts. If introduced into the milk they will grow and cause problems even if the cooling system is operating adequately. Pseudomonas species are one of the dominant environmental bacteria contaminants of raw milk and they are typically associated with contaminated water sources. Appropriate microbiological testing of such water supplies by a competent laboratory is the only practical way to establish the bacterial status of water used in the parlor and milk house. Practically any water supply may contain Pseudomonas. It has the capacity to cling to and coat the interior surfaces of pipes, tanks etc. So long as these coatings are undisturbed there may be little trouble but if the lines are disturbed for some reason, such as construction or whatever, they may be released in large quantities and can lead to problems. Species of Pseudomonas are also capable of causing a difficult to treat form of mastitis. Fortunately Pseudomonas mastitis occurs relatively infrequently. Long Milking Times-Biofilm Buildup Long milking times cause the bacteria count to gradually rise as the milking proceeds. Occasionally on farms there is a need to divert milk from the latter part of the milking into a separate tank because the main tank is full. In this instance the overflow milk, placed in the alternate tank, would have the highest concentration of bacteria of all the milk harvested during that milking. It would consist only of milk that had passed over surfaces that would have been in use for many hours and likely experienced bacterial buildup. Milk samples from the two tanks may show significantly different bacteria counts. The bacteria count of the overflow tank milk could be much higher than the main tank for this reason. Dirty Milk Contact Surfaces A liner split may allow some milk to pass into the pulsation line and once there it is very difficult to clean. Milk may be deposited in distribution and balance tanks. This material can develop huge bacteria numbers and if it somehow enters the normal milk contact side of the system it can create elevated bacteria counts in the raw milk. Milk pump seals that leak can lead to problems. As milk leaks out past the seal it contacts dirty surfaces and there can be some interface with the milk side of the system. A cheesy looking buildup on the impeller shaft of the milk pump indicates a need for repairs or replacement. This situation, if not fixed, can result in contamination and bacteria count problems. Each of these issues tends to be related to problems in some component of the system. They are unpredictable and may occur at any time. Avoidance requires scheduled monitoring of each of these potential problem issues by someone who is trained to know what to look for. Bacteria Count Benchmarks There are generally significant economic consequences when raw milk bacteria counts are out of line due to either making or not making bonuses. Typically both the somatic cell counts and bacteria counts have to meet certain standards in order for any bonus to be earned. An excellent somatic cell count, combined with an unacceptable bacteria count, could result in bonuses being lost or reduced. With the relatively high milk prices of the past few years the bonus incentives may not seem as great, on a percentage basis, but on an actual dollar basis it can still represent serious money for all dairies regardless of size. It pays to monitor issues such as the ones discussed to minimize the risk of an unexpected increase in milk bacteria counts that could eliminate bonus payments. Back To Top Of PageMastitis Causes and the Importance of Documenting Procedures Most American and Canadian dairymen have accepted these fundamental concepts and applied them extensively. Despite this, those of us who frequently work with mastitis problem herds tend to find many times, issues that appear to be causing problems, are ones that we have known about for years. Evidently the basic messages need to be repeated frequently, otherwise the point soon is lost and problems resurface. Why? There are numerous answers and, depending on the farm, any and all may be found. Successful mastitis education and control is like most other issues, it takes a dedicated approach that must go on day after day. It has to become a way of thinking on everyone's part but many times it tends to be relegated to the back burner and that is when the problems surface. We are also dealing with an issue that is caused by bacteria that are never seen by those most closely involved with the dairy. We have no national identification and eradication programs for mastitis such as we have for brucellosis or TB. As a result there is less pressure being applied to the issue because the human health threat is considered to be less serious. It is essentially a milk quality/pocket book issue. Mastitis may be caused by numerous bacteria species, and in this sense, it is a very non-specific disease. Dairymen may feel they are having problems with Coliforms or Staph but more likely they only know they are dealing with mastitis. Until qualified personnel get involved and proper diagnostic work is done, the type of bacteria predominating may be unknown. In many instances an understanding of the causes of the problem is there but only amongst a few people. There may be a lack of ongoing education and instruction on all the little things that have to be done correctly, all the time, to prevent mastitis. I will list, a bit later, some of the common areas of concern that I frequently see when making farm visits. There is a rapid trend in the US towards larger and larger farms and most of the day to day cow handling is done by hired labor that may have a limited background in this subject. This goes back to the importance of the previous point. Mastitis Prevention vs Treatment First, gaining approval for a new antibiotic therapy is a time consuming and expensive venture for any company. When weighing the costs against potential revenues in the dairy sector it may prove to not be cost effective. Also, we are facing public pressure all the time to use less of such products out of fear of residues or resistance development in bacteria that may pose a human health threat. While some of these concerns are debatable, the dairy industry has to consider them. In several European countries for example, dry cow treatment tubes are only administered on the basis of a current diagnosis of quarter infection status. They do not practice the wholesale treatment of every quarter of every cow at dry off as we do. Their emphasis is more on the treatment of specific infected quarters of specific cows based on culture work done by professionals. This may allow a more focused use of treatment products but requires access to accurate and current infection status information, which we often do not have. Dairy farms have to look at milk production as a process and each step of the process has to be reviewed and standardized. The procedures for each step have to be reviewed with those who execute them so that they have a clear understanding of what has to be done and how. In an era of larger and larger dairies success will be dictated by how effectively this is done. Mastitis Control Program Breakdowns Stall and Housing Maintenance Purchased Cattle Handling Policy Dry Cow Treatment Concerns The teats need to be thoroughly milked out. Apply a good post milking teat dip and give it 30- 60 seconds to kill bacteria. Next, thoroughly clean the teat ends, especially the teat orifices, with clean gauze pads soaked in 70% alcohol. The small alcohol pads, packed with the tubes, contain 70% isopropyl alcohol and they are provided for this purpose. Since they are quite small it may be necessary to use additional gauze pads and alcohol to get the job done correctly. The key is to have a thoroughly cleaned teat end so that the plastic syringe cannula does not push manure and bacteria into the teat. Clean the teats furthest away first and the closest ones last. Use the short cannula option available with most treatment tubes. The short cannula does not ream out the streak canal keratin lining. This lining helps prevent bacteria from penetrating the teat. Removing it decreases this function. Infuse the teats in the reverse order of how they were cleaned. This may appear to be a minor point but it is essential that a cleaned teat not be subsequently contaminated with a dirty hand or arm rubbing against the clean teat end before the dry cow antibiotic is infused. Workers treating dry cows should always wear latex or nitrile gloves, making certain that they are well cleaned and sanitized before administering the treatments. After infusing the total contents of the tube through the streak canal apply either a quality post milking teat dip or dry cow teat sealant. If using the sealant, apply it to clean, dry skin and not over teat dip, since the dip will interfere with the ability of the sealant to bond to the teat skin. Release the cow into a clean environment and monitor for several days. It is not hard to do correctly but there should be a written description and some hands on training for those employees that do it. Milking Time Evaluations Whenever a task is skipped or done improperly it may lead to problems. If a cow is milked twice daily for 305 days, and assuming each milking lasts 6 minutes, many opportunities for potential problems exist. We prep the cow 610 times, attach and detach units 610 times and post dip 610 times. If the pulsation rate is 60 cycles per minute, each teat experiences 219,600 pulsation cycles during the 305 days of lactation. Multiply this by a few hundred or a few thousand cows and the numbers are staggering. Considering that a problem could result from any one of these activities being done improperly, just one time, makes you wonder sometimes how we have as little mastitis as we have. Written Procedures These are a few examples of issues that may be the cause of problems. There are others including milking system maintenance, cleanliness of the calving area, effectiveness of teat dip application and dry cow management programs. Each can be described in standard terms so that the process is always done the same way. Doing so will help minimize problems and also assists troubleshooting when problems do arise.
"What is the relationship between Mastitis and Milk Quality?" The two standard milk quality issues that dairymen have to always consider are the bulk tank somatic cell count (BTSCC) and the basic bacteria count, often referred to as the Standard Plate Count or SPC. Both measures of milk quality have been defined, in terms of the legal upper limits, by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), a document that describes and defines various factors related to production of Grade A milk. The PMO states that the legal maximum for BTSCC is 750,000 cells/ml and for bacteria the maximum allowed is 100,000/ml. These standards tend to be rather lenient based on present day knowledge and capabilities, therefore milk buyers frequently implement standards that are much tighter than the federal standard. Frequently they offer bonuses for high quality milk or, in certain instances, they may penalize suppliers for lower quality milk. This they can do. Mycoplasma Species and Mastitis by Winston Ingalls, Ph.D Mastitis is caused by many different species of bacteria including Staph aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and E. coli. In addition, other non-bacterial microscopic organisms occasionally cause similar problems. Species of yeast, Prototheca algae and Nocardia, a species of mold common in soil, occasionally cause serious mastitis problems, usually on an isolated basis. Often such forms of mastitis are difficult or impossible to treat because they do not respond to available antibiotic therapies. Another organism group, Mycoplasma, is also capable of causing a serious mastitis condition. Mycoplasma organisms are not true bacteria. They are very small in size compared to most bacteria but are larger than viruses. They lack true cell walls and many of the internal systems that bacteria have. They act as cellular parasites, gleaning basic molecular compounds from cells. They cannot make many of these compounds themselves since they lack the chemical machinery. Despite these characteristics they are capable of causing serious infection and a variety of illnesses in animals and humans. Species of Mycoplasma: There are several species of Mycoplasma capable of causing cattle infections. They may cause pulmonary infections, middle ear infections etc. Certain species are also capable of causing mastitis while others aren't. It is quite common for these other Mycoplasma diseases or symptoms to be noted at the same time as mastitis problems are occurring. When attempting to identify and resolve such problems it is always beneficial to understand the organism source, how to spot problems, how to treat infections and what are the risks to the overall herd and how can the risks be minimized. Since Mycoplasma are unique organisms it is especially important to know if they are the cause of problems. To date there is no effective tool for treating a Mycoplasma mastitis problem so other control techniques have to be implemented. Species of Mycoplasma causing mastitis There are several species that may be involved with mastitis but certain ones are more of an issue than others. The following list provides identity of each and their basic characteristics.
Other Diseases Associated with Mycoplasma Infection. Calf middle ear infections This condition may be caused by Mycoplasma infections. Affected calves tend to have characteristic droopy ears and/or head tilt. It can be fatal and treatment is not assured of success. One way calves may contract this problem is through consumption of Mycoplasma contaminated waste milk. Calves, especially in group housing, may suck or chew each other and this may allow organisms on the mouth region to get to the ear and eventually cause new infections. There may also be other means of spreading and contracting the disease. Joint swelling and lameness Mycoplasma species can enter leg joints and infect the fluids therein causing swelling and lameness. Respiratory infections (pneumonia) Mycoplasma is known to be a common cause of respiratory tract infections. Cattle that cough may actually expel the organisms into the air in tiny water droplets. These may float on air currents and possibly contaminate other animals. This may be more commonplace with confinement housing especially if ventilation is adequate. Mastitis Mycoplasma is unique in that it may be possible for organisms to move from an infection site in one part of the body (i.e. respiratory tract) to the mammary gland by internal relocation. This however is not the primary cause of herd outbreaks of Mycoplasma mastitis. Organism spread from udders of infected cows to non-infected cows is caused primarily by contaminated milking clusters and hands during milking. Minimizing these issues is critical in controlling spread just as it is with other forms of contagious mastitis including Staph aureus and Strep ag. Clean hands, clean clusters and post milking teat dipping are critical control measures. Mycoplasma mastitis has come to be one of the concerns of many dairies. It has been recognized as a problem for many years in the larger dairies of California and Florida. In the 1970's-80's it produced serious difficulties for many large west cost dairies and for a time was thought of as a large herd mastitis problem. No longer. Most states have detected its presence and prevalence appears to be increasing in many areas. Any herd that buys cattle of unknown Mycoplasma status are vulnerable to the disease especially if management is unfamiliar with the nature of this problem. Herds that are built or expanded rapidly by purchasing and assembling cattle from various locations are likely the most vulnerable. Generally there is no previous history on many of these animals so it is impossible to screen them out unless a significant amount of testing is done before purchase. Relocation to new facilities with large numbers of animals imposes stress that may reduce disease resistance and increase susceptibility to disease producing agents, including Mycoplasma. Once a cow develops a Mycoplasma clinical mastitis infection, most things thereafter are negative. Cows often develop significant udder swelling as well as off-color and occasionally markedly different looking milk. They may actually develop infections in all quarters simultaneously, which is an unusual observation for mastitis. They may appear to recover spontaneously but they generally remain carriers and will have occasional flare-ups and releases of large numbers of organisms. Treatment with infusion tubes and/or systemic treatment produces no improvement for a simple reason. The antibiotics available, predominantly penicillin based products, tend to interfere with cell wall development but Mycoplasma have no cell wall. Therefore such antibiotics are ineffective. Bacteriology of Milk from infected cows Mycoplasma infected quarters will shed, during clinical episodes, huge quantities of organisms. Dr. Allen Britten, Udder Health Services, Inc., Bellngham, Washington has indicated cows may shed billions into raw milk during clinical outbreaks. At other times they may shed very few. This pattern of shedding makes it difficult to always rely on bulk tank cultures as a way of determining if it is present. Nevertheless, routine bulk tank screening should be used as a monitoring tool to help detect if milk from Mycoplasma infected cows is entering the tank. Mycoplasma shedding will not impact the standard plate count (SPC), PI counts or the LPC even if a lot of cows are shedding. These organisms require such unique conditions for growth that standard milk bacteria tests will not reveal them. Infected cows may have a significant somatic cell response so the SCC will rise as a result of infections. How to prevent it Maintain as closed a herd as possible. Untested new animals entering a herd may be the source of problems so keep these to a minimum. Look at records from a herd being evaluated to determine if there has been a problem. If no such evidence exists, have a bulk tank milk sample taken and sent to a lab that has procedures in place to properly test for Mycoplasma. University veterinary diagnostic labs and certain private veterinary diagnostic labs are capable of doing this properly. The key is to work with a group familiar with testing and identifying Mycoplasma. Also, if Mycoplasma growth is found, ask for them to have it speciated so that it can be determined if the species is a likely cause of mastitis. Speciation requires specialized procedures that take additional time. Often the sample has to be sent to another facility equipped to do such work. Sick Pen Cows There's always a concern about cattle in hospital facilities. It is a collecting point for all cows suffering a variety of ailments. Cows may go in with a sore foot, be exposed to mastitis while there, and emerge with a mastitis problem. When facilities allow, waste milk from the hospital string should be routinely sampled and evaluated for Mycoplasma and other more standard mastitis pathogens. Any clinical mastitis case should be sampled prior to treatment and the sample frozen. If there is no response to treatment then the sample(s) should be tested to determine which organisms are present. Keep in mind that Mycoplasma is a very contagious organism, so if there is a concern this may be at work, get the sample tested promptly rather than accumulate several before testing. Milking procedures and facilities are concerns in hospital facilities. If a separate milking facility exists make certain that cows are milked in a manner that minimizes cow to cow transfer of potential pathogens. Milkers must wear surgical gloves and they need to sanitize hands and milking clusters between cows. Cows identified with Mycoplasma mastitis should be identified, totally segregated from the main herd and culled immediately if they show clinical problems. If they appear normal they need to remain segregated until they are no longer productive or experience a clinical flare-up. Then they should be culled. They can never be returned to the main herd even if they appear to have recovered because they may become chronic occasional shedders. Mastitis Treatment Products Treatment of mastitis cases should only involve products labeled for intramammary infusion. They should be should be factory produced, unopened products. Occasionally cows are treated with bottled medicines as additional supportive therapy. These materials often become contaminated, due to sloppy procedures, with Mycoplasma and become a source of new infections. This is also a problem with certain other organisms that can survive in medications including yeast, molds and Nocardia. Infusion procedures Proper infusion technique is critical when treating udder infections. Thoroughly clean the teat ends per the product label recommendations. Frequently a sterile gauze pad soaked with alcohol is used to effectively clean and sanitize the teat end. Infuse tube products using the partial cannula insertion method. Research has demonstrated that using a very short cannula to infuse product reduces steak canal keratin ream out and possible relocation of pathogens from the streak canal into the udder. What sanitizers are effective? Mycoplasma organisms contain no special characteristics that make them resistant to sanitizers. Iodine, especially with an acid base, is highly effective against Mycoplasma organisms when used as a hard surface sanitizer. Automated backflush systems are available. When linked to an acid based iodine solution clusters can be sanitized between cows to limit cow to cow transmission of Mycoplasma organisms by the milking cluster. It is advisable to put maximum effort into identifying infected cows and eliminating them rather than relying exclusively on a backflush system as a means of limiting Mycoplasma transfer. Iodine teat dips, especially products providing high levels of free iodine, will effectively kill such organisms on contact. They need to be used pre and post milking to sanitize teats. Teat dipping is a vital part of all mastitis control programs, including Mycoplasma mastitis. Waste milk handling Milk from cows being held out of the tank for various reasons is often used as calf feed. However, it frequently carries significant health risks due to pathogens. It may be contaminated with various mastitis pathogens including Staph aureus and Mycoplasma species. Heat treating waste milk to kill pathogens is advisable using pasteurization units available today. Mycoplasma species are susceptible to heat treatment but they differ in terms of time and temperature requirements for lethality. The following table provides the needed time and temperature exposure for killing three of the more common species. Time needed to kill Mycoplasma pathogens (minutes)
It is clear if M. canadense is involved, then more time will always be needed to kill it. At the highest temperature, 158 F, the time required is reduced to 3 minutes. Summary
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