The Norwegian Approach of Mastitis as a Herd Disease

Abstract

The most frequently reported disease in dairy cattle is mastitis, the disease can lead to major economic losses in affected herds, as well as impaired animal welfare and farmer welfare. In majority of cases, mastitis is caused by bacteria ascending through the teat canal, and in many cases, this can be prevented. Once the pathogens settle and induce an inflammatory response the somatic cell count (SCC) of the udder is increased, the milk yield is decreased, and eventually the cow may show clinical signs of infection. Since the majority of clinical cases are caused by bacteria, the standard treatment is usage of antibiotics.