Coordinated action needed on mastitis

Noting that prevention is better than cure, global dairy experts convene in Denmark to discuss managing udder health and reducing antimicrobial use.

Leading global experts in udder health from 25 countries met in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 15 to discuss preventative solutions for mastitis, which the International Dairy Federation (IDF) ranks as one of the most important diseases affecting the dairy sector, IDF said in an announcement.

Organized by IDF and hosted by Denmark's SEGES group, the conference provided an opportunity for those involved in the udder health field to share innovations and research on mastitis management with the aim of achieving a reduction in mastitis in dairy cattle and, ultimately, improving animal care, welfare and milk production.

"Healthy and productive dairy animals are vital to the provision of a safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply at a time of a rapidly increasing global population," IDF director general Caroline Emond said. "Mastitis causes decreased productivity as well as food loss due to discarded milk. Coordinated action is essential if the dairy sector is to achieve optimal management of this disorder, which is so important to maintaining and increasing sustainable milk production globally."

Mastitis is the main reason for the use of antibiotics in milk production, and ineffective mastitis management has been responsible for up to 85% of the antimicrobials used in the dairy sector, according to the latest "Animal Health Report" produced by IDF.

While animal health scientists are making significant progress on mastitis management, with a significant reduction in the rate of clinical mastitis seen during the last decade, IDF noted that antimicrobial resistance remains a global concern. New antimicrobial resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening the ability to treat common infectious diseases.

SEGES chairman Steen Nørgaard Madsen said, "Mastitis has major economic and animal welfare implications in cattle farming. Gathering the world’s experts in the field to exchange the latest knowledge at this IDF conference in Denmark is an important step in us becoming even better at promoting udder health."

Source: International Dairy Federation, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.