Bovine Mastitis

Background

Mastitis is a problem that dairies have on an ongoing basis. It is a multi-factorial disease involving the environment, disease-causing pathogens, and the host. To achieve optimum results financially and productively, one needs to know what is going on inside of the cow as she tries to fight off this burdening infection. The biggest mistake that dairy farmers tend to make is ignoring the cow's host defenses as a contributing factor.

Optimal results of supplements all depend on how well the immune system of the animal is functioning. The bovine immune system is a very complex interaction of cellular and humeral components. When it is functioning at its peak, there should be little or no sign of clinical mastitis.

Natural and Acquired Immunity

It is important that the farmer also takes the teat defenses into consideration, or the cow's natural and acquired senses. The natural immunity includes the skin, teat canal, keratin, and other factors. The acquired immunity includes the immune system and the cow's ability to recognize and fight off the disease.

Disease Contributing Factors

Intramammary infections result when the infection successfully penetrates the teat canal and reaches the milk-producing tissues. When the defense mechanisms of the cow are stronger, it is harder for the disease to penetrate the teat canal. Therefore, it is most beneficial for the cow's immune system and defense mechanisms, such as bacterial growth and cell wall keratin, to be working as effectively as possible.

When the cow has mastitis, there has been a breakdown in her immune system. The challenge is to find what is not working.

For more information on how our Karbo and Epic II CL products may enhance the immune systems and promote your animal’s or bird's overall health, please call us at 608.617.9626 or email us at [email protected]