Investigation of the relationship between bedding materials, bedding characteristics, and intramammary infection in late lactation dairy cows Interim findings

摘要

Many cows acquire subclinical intramammary infections (IMI) during lactation, necessitating antimicrobial treatment at dry-off (dry cow therapy}. If the dairy industry moves toward the adoption of selective dry cow therapy, one essential strategy to reduce mastitis-associated antimicrobial use at dry off will be to reduce the incidence of new IMI during lactation. One important source of mastitis-causing pathogens is bedding. However studies are needed to investigate the association between bedding management, bedding bacteria count (BBC), and IMI risk in late lactation cows.