From the NMC Newsletter "Udder Topics", August-September 2002

Mastitis results from a complex interaction between the cow, microbial agents, environmental influences and management factors. A program designed to improve udder health must intervene in and control these interactions. It must also fulfill the three basic principles of a mastitis control program, which are to: 1) prevent new intramammary infections, 2) eliminate existing infections, and, 3) monitor udder health status.

Monitoring is the routine systematic collection and evaluation of information from the farm, intended to identify problem areas, and to track performance over time. An ongoing program to collect and manage udder health data from individual cows, and from the whole herd, is essential to evaluate the success of the mastitis control efforts. Monitoring is also crucial for determining when changes are needed in the control program.

The National Mastitis Council now recommends "regular monitoring of udder health status" as part of its 10-step mastitis control program. Specific items include:

-- enroll in an individual cow SCC program or monitor electrical conductivity of milk
-- monitor rates and distributions of high SCC cows
-- culture clinical cases and high SCC cows
-- use the CMT as a cow-side monitor of inflammation
-- monitor udder health for the herd using reports from milk marketing organizations, regulatory agencies and DHI
-- calculate clinical mastitis rates and distributions on a regular basis
-- use SCC and clinical mastitis records to evaluate protocols and to make treatment and marketing decisions

Source: NMC Annual Meeting Proceedings (1997) pg. 105 and NMC Recommended Mastitis Control Program