The Udder Health Update for today on DairyLine Radio talked about just what the title says - all aspects of herd health can affedt udder health. Dr. Allen Britten points out that herd health and both directly and indirectly affect udder health. One area we don`t consider is how other diseases indirectly affect milk quality. For example, BVD (bovine viral diarrhea), BLV (bovine leukemia virus) and Johnes all have a negative impact on a cow`s immune system. With a weak immune system, the cow is more susceptible to mastitis which leads to serious milk quality problems.

To hear more from Dr. Britten, click the play button below:

Dr. Allen Britten reminds us once again the importance of developing a solid udder health and milk quality plan for the months ahead. This can be done by implementing a secure MP3 management program. MP3 stands for 3 Major Mastitis Pathogens - Strep Ag, Staph Aureus & Mycoplasma. Monthly bulk tank cultures to monitor the evidence of MP3s in your herd is very important. To prevent MP3s from showing up and causing a larger herd outbreak, routine cultures of fresh and sick cows should a part of your plan. Also, milk cultures of cows exhibiting clinical signs of mastitis should be taken.

To hear Dr. Britten`s full Udder Health Talk from today’’s DairyLine Radio program, click the play button below:

With a new year upon us, Dr. Allen Britten encourages all dairy producers to review the udder health and milk quality plan on your farm. The topic for today on the second half of the DairyLine Radio program is Udder Health. Click the play button below to listen to Dr. Britten`s short message.

Have a secure plan on your farm to identify and attack the MP3s - the three major mastitis pathogens (strep ag, staph aureus and mycoplasma). This can be done with monthly bulk tank cultures and routine cultures of fresh and sick cows. Locating and isolating the milk of problem cows will prevent spreading to the healthy members of the herd and result in less dollars down the drain…literally.

Now is the perfect time to look at your management plans and goals for the new year. Maintaining or continuing to improve the udder health on your farm should be a part of your action plan. The first step is resolving to prevent and attack MP3s on your farm - the three major mastitis pathogens (strep ag, staph aureus and mycoplasma).

Dr. Allen Britten’’s Udder Health Talk today focused on routine monthly bulk tank cultures in an effort to check the composite milk quality of your herd. By implementing routine checks, you will be able to catch the MP3s before they spread to other members of the herd and cause significant economic loss to your farm. To hear Dr. Britten’’s full Udder Health Talk segment on DairyLine Radio, click the play button below.

Tuesdays Udder Health Talk with Dr. Allen Britten on DairyLine Radio provided a New Years Resolution that all dairy producers should add to their list.

Make 2008 a year that you resolve to do things better regarding udder health and milk quality. Put energy into improving your herds milk quality. Develop a clear vision and plan on how to manage the three Major Mastitis Pathogens:
1. Strep ag
2. Staph aureus
3. Mycoplasma

A simple and relatively in expensive commitment that you can make towards improving milk quality is to institute routine bulk tank checks on your farm. This provides a way for you to catch any milk quality issues early. To hear more about Dr. Brittens resolution for the new year, click the play button below.

Today I’m excited to begin a new feature in our All Breeds Blog. DairyLine Radio, a fellow member of the DairyBusiness Communications family, dedicates the second half of their daily radio show to a certain topic each day. We will now be providing links from the blog to these daily topics for your listening pleasure five days a week. Tuesday’s second half is Udder Health Talk, featuring Dr. Allen Britten, an udder health specialist from Bellingham, WA, who is recognized by the National Mastitis Council.

The 12/18/07 edition of Udder Health Talk asks the question: Will your processor accept the milk from your bulk tank? In order to receive the highest price possible for your milk, its of the utmost importance to make sure you’re sending the highest quality milk possible to your processor. Implementing a diversion policy - separating the milk of fresh and sick cows - is a great way to make this happen. Learn more about Dr. Britten’s advice for an effective diversion policy and what it means for your operation by clicking the play button below:

Udder Health Talk is sponsored by Immvac and Udder Health Systems Inc.