Jeffrey Bewley: How to Make Cost-Effective Mastitis Treatment Decisions

In a 2016 Progressive Dairy article, Dr. Jeffrey Bewley examined a discussion on mastitis treatment practices led by Dr. Pamela Ruegg.

In this article, Dr. Jeffrey Bewley provided an overview of treatment practice steps and considerations (suggested by Dr. Ruegg) that would not only save dairy farms money, but which help reduce the amount of antibiotics used throughout the process.

1. Detect the response, not the infection

Whenever symptoms of mastitis are first detected, collect milk samples for culturing and separate the cow for further observation.

2. Evaluate severity based on response

According to Dr. Bewley, Dr. Ruegg suggests using a 0-to-3 scale for determining severity (1 – abnormal-appearing milk, 2 – abnormal milk and udder, 3 – milk and cow appear abnormal).

3. Act quickly

In severe cases, treatment should start immediately. For non-severe cases, consider the cow’s history before moving forward with treatment.

4. Determine if antibiotics are needed

After review of the animal’s history, it’s important to determine if antibiotics are needed to assist in treatment. Variables to consider include cow’s age, lactation stage, previous mastitis cases, etc.

5. Choose the best treatment

For detailed mastitis treatment options and read the full article, click here.

Jeffrey Bewley – Injury Management in Dairy Cattle

Dr. Jeffrey Bewley has more nearly three decades of experience in dairy cattle management. Formerly a professor at the UK Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Dr. Bewley has extensive firsthand experience in the areas of animal health economics, dairy records and analytics, dairy farm financial analysis, barn design, management and construction, and more.

Injury Management in Dairy Cattle

Dr. Jeffrey Bewley knows that to minimize the risk of injury of dairy cattle throughout any dairy operation, farmers must take steps to move the herd with the utmost in calm and consideration. Additionally, it’s important to have a good understanding of herd hierarchy when cattle walk, as those lower in the hierarchy are often unwilling or unable to overtake the animals with a higher status.

Another element of prime importance in the minimization of mobility problems is the list of daily requirements for moving and handling dairy cows. Taking steps to ensure proper yard and building layouts, track construction and how cows are transported from housing to milking areas can go a long way toward reducing the risk of injury.

Learn more about Dr. Bewley and the Alltech On-Farm Support team here.

 

Jeffrey Bewley – CowSignals Certification

Jeffrey Bewley is proud to be a certified CowSignals trainer and continually strives toward achieving the CowSignals mission of mitigating and ending the incidence of sickness, injury, and lameness among dairy cows once and for all.

As a CowSignals trainer, Dr. Jeffrey Bewley shares in the organization’s belief that when both animal welfare and environmental sustainability are taken seriously, cows, dairy farmers and the world are better off.

CowSignals Certification

CowSignals training can help anyone from farmers and veterinarians to barn designers and dairy processors take steps toward improving dairy cow health and dairy production.

With CowSignals training, professionals are better equipped to:

• Prevent disease, which can lead to drastic increases in the productive lifetime of dairy cows.
• Grow and manage the healthy cows that are essential to the dairy farmer’s livelihood and happiness.
• Reduce methane exhaust caused by the dairy sector – something achieved through the increase in lactations.

To learn more about Jeffrey Bewley, click here.

 

Jeffrey Bewley – Award-Winning Leadership

Jeffrey Bewley is a noted and well-respected member of the dairy science field. As an extension professor at the University of Kentucky from 2008 to 2017, Jeffrey Bewley continues to make an impact and have an influence on the field as a member of the private sector, currently as Dairy Housing and Analytics Specialist at Alltech.

Award-Winning Leadership

Over the course of his nine-year teaching career at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Bewley was honored with a number of awards, including the:

• College of Agriculture Early Career Outstanding Teacher Award (2011)
• KASEP outstanding New Extension Faculty Award (2012)
• American Dairy Science Association – Student Affiliate Division Outstanding Advisor (2013)
• American Dairy Science Association Cargill Animal Nutrition Young Scientist Award (2015)
• American Dairy Science Association Foundation Scholar Award in Production (2015)

To learn more about Dr. Bewley, visit his LinkedIn profile.