Summer season and the risk of colimastitis. Why does timing matter?
With the arrival of the summer months, the occurrence of coliform mastitis regularly increases on dairy farms. These infections, caused by bacteria of the genus E. coli, can have a very rapid, severe, and even fatal course. Therefore, a crucial factor that influences the prognosis is timely diagnosis.
The ideal scenario is to detect the presence of E. coli bacteria before the clinical mastitis actually develops. By the time the disease presents clinically, local immunity is already compromised and endotoxins are released from the disrupted bacterial cells. This process significantly worsens the overall condition of the animal and can lead to endotoxin shock.
It is therefore crucial to carefully monitor early, subclinical changes:
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Increased milk conductivity.
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Rapid decrease in milk yield.
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The dynamics of these parameters over time (changes often occur within hours).
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Decreased feed intake and reduced activity level.
The combination of monitoring conductivity and milk yield enables fairly reliable identification of the onset of inflammation. At this stage, it is very appropriate to perform a control ClearMilk test, which will help to quickly and accurately clarify the next steps.
