UK and Irish dairy and suckler farmers should be gearing up to prepare for an onslaught of summer mastitis in replacement heifers and dry cows as cattle continue to graze pasture during the summer months. Another related issue to be factored in this year is the ominous threat of Bluetongue, a viral disease of both cattle and sheep that is transmitted by infected midges.
Driving these threats are the weather conditions we’ve experienced recently: Lots of rain, followed by a rise in temperatures, have combined to create the perfect conditions for fly populations. So it’s likely that we can expect a rise in fly and midge numbers throughout the summer months.
Dr Richard Wynn: Carrs Agriculture Head of Technical comments
“As fly populations increase, the threat of summer mastitis rises in a corresponding manner. Summer mastitis predominantly occurs during the warm summer months with cattle out at pasture. The disease affects non-lactating cows and replacement heifers, leading to potentially devastating consequences.
Affected quarters often don’t recover, so any treatment is purely salvage and the main goals should be to avoid the disease altogether, or at least minimise its incidence.
The supervision of heifers and cows at pasture during the summer months can be sporadic due to other commitments on the farm, so mastitis can be well advanced before clinical signs are seen.”
Transmission of infection is thought to be linked to summer flying insects, most notably the sheep head fly: Hydrotea Irritans.
The fly eggs over-winter in sandy soils and emerge in June or July.
These flies live in bushes and trees, and can only fly during mild, damp, humid conditions and low wind speeds. High winds and heavy rains inhibit fly activity.
Hence, cases tend to be associated with “problem fields” next to woods, high hedges and water sources.”
Constant and high levels of worrying by flies around the affected teat orifice cause considerable irritation and frequent kicking which can worsen the problem, facilitating bacterial entry directly into the teat canal. The affected quarter, or often whole udder, becomes swollen, inflamed and very painful. A yellow, foul-smelling discharge usually leaks out of these swollen teats and inevitably attracts more flies – increasing the potential for infection transfer to other nearby stock. As the disease progresses, irreversible tissue damage occurs and the quarter can be lost. It’s important to spot the issues as quickly as possible, and talk to your vet about the best means of treatment.
A very effective way of reducing irritation from flies and other biting insects in grazing heifers and other livestock is to make the animals’ coat less attractive on which to land. This can be achieved by providing Crystalyx Garlyx feed blocks to dry stock while at grass during the summer months. The intense and penetrating odour of garlic is due to the high-sulphur compounds it contains. When consumed by stock, these compounds permeate out of the pores in the skin. This produces an invisible barrier or screen, which flies and other nuisance biting insects find repellent and hostile.
David Morgan: Crystalyx Trade Account Manager comments
“Garlyx contains a concentrated garlic extract which, when consumed, acts as a constant natural deterrent to help ward off flies and other biting insects throughout the grazing season.”
David was a recent visitor to William O’Grady’s dairy farm where he has successfully incorporated Crystalyx Garlyx into his grazing system. Mr O’Grady milks 130 spring calving cows at Bricana, Johnstown, Co Kilkenny. The cows are currently average 6.300L of milk, producing 500kg of solids. Rearing his own heifers has always been a priority for Mr O’Grady. Over recent years, he has been using increased levels of sexed semen on his top cows in order to speed up the rate of genetic progress that is achieved within the herd. And it’s an approach that is paying dividends for him. Summer mastitis had been an issue on the O’Grady farm up to four years ago.
Mr O’Grady explained:
“I then started putting out the Crystalyx Garlyx feed tubs with heifers while at grass. And I have not had one case of summer mastitis since taking this approach.”
The heifers on the O’Grady farm are, traditionally grazed on a block of land, which is directly adjacent to a wooded area.
“It’s a location that is very suited to flies and other biting insects,” Mr O’Grady admitted.
“And this, no doubt, was adding to the summer mastitis issues that cropped up in the past. However, putting the Garlyx feed blocks out with the heifers provided a very effective solution to the problem. They keep the flies at bay.”
