HEAL ▶▶▶TH


Chances of survival and prevention


• 95% chance of recovery in fully lactating cows • 10-15% chance of survival when E. coli occurs during calving


• 20% chance of survival in case of shock


Make sure the bedding is dry. E. coli and Klebsiella can multiply more easily in a moist, warm environment.


Because E. coli is an environmental pathogen, prevention logically focuses on the cow’s surroundings. • Make sure the bedding is clean and dry. E. coli often oc- curs in manure, so the stalls need to be cleaned regular- ly. Stall sanitation agents may be used.


• Clean the walkways frequently to prevent bedding con- tamination through manure coming off the cow’s claws.


• Prevent manure becoming too thin by using optimal feed with enough structure in the ration and a stable ru- men function. Thin manure splashes more, increasing the contamination area.


• Give cows fresh feed after milking to prevent them from lying down too fast.


• Make sure the bedding is dry. E. coli and Klebsiella can multiply more easily in a moist, warm environment.


Use optimal feed with enough structure in the ration to prevent manure becoming too thin.


supporting therapy is more important than just antibiotics. “This treatment focuses on counteracting the toxins’ effects and prevents cows going into shock. Isolate the cow, prefera- bly in a straw bedded pen, which makes the animal more com- fortable. This also prevents pressure ulcers and subsequently, downer cows,” Scherpenzeel adds. In addition to this, it is im- portant to use a non-steroidal inflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAID’s lower the animal’s temperature, are anti-inflammatory and reduce pain. Sometimes, under temperature occurs. In case of a direct fluid deficit, a cow shows visible signs of dis- tress: her eyes are sunk back into her head, often in combina- tion with cold ears. That is why you need to give water. The vets also support using a calcium drip or a hypertonic drip for cows that have already gone into shock. The latter in- creases the salt content in the cow’s blood, attracting mois- ture to the vascular bed. This results in a stable blood pres- sure. It is important to maintain the fluid balance and thus the blood pressure. Only a vet is qualified to use a hypertonic drip. An adult, ill cow can certainly use 40 litres of lukewarm water through drenching, to supplement the extracted water from the surroundings of the vascular bed.


26 ▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 1, 2020


• Pay attention to the condition of the teat end. Look for calluses and frays. The teat opening is E. coli’s gateway to the udder. When the teat end is in good condition, it is more difficult for bacteria to enter the udder. Poor condition of the teat ends has different causes. They can be genetic but are mostly related to how well the milk- ing machine functions.


• Conduct a bacteriological examination in the milk tank with a sensitivity test.


• Thoroughly clean the udders and teats before milking, with a separate cloth per cow.


• Use registered disinfecting and caring dip or spray agents. •


If you use a drying injector or teat sealer when drying off the cows the utmost hygiene must be used. When cows are dried off or around calving, they are very vulnerable. Prevent infection during the drying off process. In half of the cases of clinical mastitis caused by environmental bacteria in the first 100 days of lactation, the moment of infection occurs during the drying off period. • Use an E. coli vaccine in consultation with your vet.


The VHS’s advice is to treat animals with severe clinical masti- tis in accordance with the farm’s treatment plan, because an E. coli infection cannot be determined in advance. In addition to this, an E. coli infection can spread through the blood- stream. This means that sepsis occurs because of bacteria in the blood. Antibiotics that go through the bloodstream can thus be life-saving.


PHOTO: HENK RISWICK


PHOTO: KOOS GROENEWOLD


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