Your in-calf heifers are just a over a month away from calving, but they are now in a high risk period for potential cases of heifer mastitis.
A case could appear prior to calving, or shortly after they calf down.
Having a high standard of hygiene in shed and cubicles where these heifers are housed is the most important measure you can take to prevent cases.
Risk factors
Heifer mastitis, along with having significant effects on udder health and lifetime milk yield, there is also an associated culling risk – particularly in cases involving major pathogens.
The risk factor for heifers is greater, due to them not having a teat sealer like your cows have.
This means a heifer housed in unhygienic conditions may be at an increased risk of mastitis.
As a result of this, extra attention needs to be paid to heifers during the housed period.
Heifers are also heading into a stressful period of their lives. The lead up to calving is completely new to heifers, which can increase their stress levels.
There is very little that can be done about this, other than avoiding having negative interactions with heifers during this time.
Heifer mastitis
A certain level of heifer mastitis is to be expected, but excessive cases mean that there is an issue on the farm.
It has taken two years of rearing to get heifers to the stage where they can start producing milk – a mastitis case this early into their milk production career could be detrimental.
The cubicles need to limed and scraped daily. Lime increases the pH of the cubicle bed surface, which kills the bacteria that may be present.
You also need to ensure that the passageway is kept as clean as possible, if scrapers are present, they should be running regularly.
It is also important that there is adequate space in the shed, where the heifers are being housed.
At a minimum there should be at least one cubicle/heifer, and ideally there should be extra cubicles with 10% being recommended.
The heifers should also be kept spread from the cows, until after they calf to prevent bulling.