Rebecca L.

Schewe Table 1: Milking Practices

Are udders washed or sprayed with water before milking? Are teats disinfected before milking? (pre-dip) Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent

Yes 651 22% 2530 86% 1686 57% 2087 71% 1007 34% 2678 91% 2469 89% 2741 93% 589 35%

No 2288 78% 412 14% 1262 43% 855 29% 1919 66% 253 9% 296 11% 194 7% 1072 65%

May 14, 2013

Are gloves worn during milking?

Are teats stripped before milking?

Are teats massaged before milking? (other than stripping)

Are teats dried before milking?

Do you use separate towels for each cow?

Are teats disinfected after milking? (post-dip) Are some cows milked after the automatic takeoff removes the unit?

The majority of farmers report using these milking practices: disinfecting before milking (86%), wearing gloves during milking (57%), stripping teats before milking (71%), drying teats before milking (91%), using separate towels for each cow (89%), disinfecting after milking (93%). The majority of farmers report NOT using these practices: washing udders with water before milking (78%), massaging teats before milking (66%), milking cows after the automatic takeoff removes the unit (65%).

Table 2: Evaluation of Milking Machinery

How often are pulsators evaluated (graphed) for performance? How often is the entire milking system evaluated? Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent

Rebecca L. Schewe

May 14, 2013

Less Than Once a Year 876 31% 828 29% About Once a Year 1,432 50% 1,489 53% At Least Twice a Year 497 17% 466 16% At Least Once a Month 61 2% 48 2%

Most respondents report having pulsators and the entire milking system evaluated about once a year (50% and 53%, respectively). A significant minority (31% and 29% respectively) have pulsators and the milking system evaluated less than once a year. Table 3: Replacement of Liners (Inflations)
Times Per Year Min Max Mean Linearized SE Missing Total 0.90 360.00 5.93 0.33 48.00 628.00

Respondents replace liners an average of approximately 6 times per year. Table 4: How often are you in the parlor to observe milking?
How often are you in the parlor and observing milking? Weighted n Percent Never 73 3% Less Than Once a Month 12 0% About Once a Month 29 1% About Once a Week 89 3% About Once a Day 364 14% Almost Every Milking 1,977 78%

The vast majority of farmers are in the parlor to observe milking almost every milking (78%), with only 4% of respondents reporting observing once a month or less.

Rebecca L. Schewe Table 5: How much time elapses from when teats are massaged until units are attached
Don't Massage or Strip Teats 274 9% <30 Seconds 278 10% How much time elapses from when teats are first massaged (or stripped) until units are attached? Weighted n Percent

30-60 Seconds 1,005 35%

1-2 Minutes 1,144 39%

>2 Minutes 96 3%

May 14, 2013

Not Sure 106 4%

The most common responses to teat massage time are between 1-2 minutes (39%) and 30-60 seconds (35%).

Rebecca L. Schewe Table 6: Mastitis Management

Milk mastitis and treated cows in a separate group Use oxytocin for milk letdown Use intramammary antibiotics at dry off (dry treatment) Use an internal teat sealant at dry off Dock tails Singe hair on the udder Use vaccines to control coliform mastitis Use vaccines to control staph aureus Insure strict compliance with milking protocols Clean alleys/gutters after or during each milking Train employees in mastitis protocols

Never Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent 1,019 35% 1,045 36% 292 10% 1,467 50% 2,180 74% 1,879 64% 1,672 57% 2,188 75% 199 7% 83 3% 354 13%

Sometimes 439 15% 1,544 53% 321 11% 202 7% 267 9% 558 19% 367 13% 336 12% 387 14% 316 11% 379 14%

Frequently 132 5% 208 7% 135 5% 62 2% 65 2% 201 7% 127 4% 62 2% 643 23% 378 13% 416 15%

Always 1,025 36% 71 2% 2,223 75% 1,127 39% 406 14% 239 8% 722 25% 239 8% 1,431 50% 2,107 71% 903 33%

May 14, 2013

N/A 265 9% 60 2% 3 0% 63 2% 40 1% 51 2% 35 1% 92 3% 176 6% 82 3% 664 24%

It is worth noting that there is a significant divide regarding milking mastitis and treated cows in a separate group: 35% report that they never do this while 36% report that they always do. There is also a significant divide regarding the use of internal teat sealant: 50% report that they never do and 39% report that they always do. 53% of respondents report that they sometimes use oxytocin for milk letdown, 75% use dry treatment, 74% never dock tails, 64% singe hairs on the udders, 57% use vaccines to control coliform mastitis, 75% use vaccines to control staph aureus, only 50% report insuring strict compliance with milking protocols, 71% report always cleaning alleys/gutters during/after milkings. Importantly, only 33% report that they always train employees in mastitis protocols and 13% report that they never train employees in mastitis protocols.

Rebecca L. Schewe

May 14, 2013

Rebecca L. Schewe Table 7: Most Important Causes of Mastitis Reduction

Milk mastitis and treated cows in a separate group Use oxytocin for milk letdown Use intramammary antibiotics at dry off (dry treatment) Use an internal teat sealant at dry off Dock tails Singe hair on the udder Use vaccines to control coliform mastitis Use vaccines to control staph aureus Insure strict compliance with milking protocols Clean alleys/gutters after or during each milking Train employees in mastitis protocols Other Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent n n n n n n n n n n n n

Most Important 253.7 10% 13.53 1% 966.6 38% 91.14 3% 21.96 1% 18.65 1% 80.17 3% 31.38 1% 713.5 27% 170.7 6% 152.9 6% 145.6 5%

2nd Most Important 152.3 6% 73.74 4% 492.9 24% 414.4 17% 18.65 1% 79.85 3% 186 7% 24.51 1% 310.1 13% 442.9 18% 219 9% 66.01 3%

3rd Most Important 173.9 8% 60.76 3% 347.2 18% 192.2 9% 56.9 3% 119.2 5% 248.5 11% 66.63 3% 241 11% 402.9 19% 208.9 10% 51.92 2%

May 14, 2013

We followed up by asking respondents which of the above practices were most important in reducing mastitis. The most common response to the most important mastitis-reducing practice was the use of dry treatment (38%), with insuring strict compliance with milking protocols as the second most common response (27%), and milking mastitis and treated cows in a separate group as the third most common response (10%). The most common response to the second most important mastitis-reducing practice was the use of dry treatment (24%), second most common was cleaning alleys/gutters (18%), and insuring strict compliance with milking protocols the third most common (13%).

Rebecca L. Schewe Table 8: Mastitis Diagnosis and Treatment

Use individual cow SCC to identify infected cows Use conductivity in milk to identify infected cows Culture milk samples from high SCC or conductivity cows Culture milk samples from clinical mastitis cases Culture bulk milk tank samples Keep written or computer treatment records for all cows Treat mastitis cows for the full course of antibiotic doses Review treatment records before making treatment decisions Use systemic antibiotics to treat clinical mastitis Use intramammary antibiotics to treat clinical mastitis Use antiinflammatory drugs to treat clinical mastitis Use oxytocin to treat clinical mastitis Use natural (organic) therapies to treat clinical mastitis Use alcohol pads before intramammary tube infusions Train employees in treatment protocols

Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent Weighted Percent

n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

It is noteworthy that very few diagnosis techniques are widely used. Especially noteworthy is that 58% never use conductivity to diagnose cows, 62% never culture bulk tank samples, 36% keep no written or computer records, and 16% never train employees in treatment protocols. It is also noteworthy that only 49% of respondents report always treating cows for the full round of antibiotics.

Never 552 19% 1,622 58% 991 34% 933 32% 1,753 62% 1,042 36% 281 10% 547 19% 718 26% 418 14% 926 33% 1,428 49% 1,089 39% 187 6% 441 16%

Sometimes 789 27% 517 18% 1,369 47% 1,480 51% 798 28% 453 16% 647 22% 1,006 35% 1,346 48% 998 35% 1,241 44% 1,023 35% 955 34% 191 6% 423 16%

Frequently 620 21% 179 6% 296 10% 258 9% 110 4% 304 11% 518 18% 431 15% 309 11% 567 20% 330 12% 225 8% 406 14% 170 6% 332 12%

Always 898 31% 243 9% 155 5% 168 6% 127 4% 1,022 36% 1,439 49% 771 27% 234 8% 849 29% 224 8% 183 6% 257 9% 2,339 79% 864 32%

May 14, 2013

N/A 71 2% 233 8% 73 3% 41 1% 39 1% 52 2% 63 2% 106 4% 190 7% 55 2% 87 3% 62 2% 119 4% 57 2% 655 24%

Rebecca L. Schewe

May 14, 2013 Table 9: Most Important Causes of Antibiotic Reduction

Use individual cow SCC to identify infected cows Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent Weighted n Percent

Most Important 467 20% 40 2% 90 4% 97 4% 7 0% 82 4% 224 10% 120 5% 34 1% 88 4% 63 3% 156 7% 515 22% 108 5% 139 6% 68 3%

2nd Most Important 202 10% 78 4% 187 9% 97 5% 28 1% 97 5% 252 13% 98 5% 34 2% 128 7% 91 5% 123 6% 201 10% 225 11% 105 5% 24 1%

3rd Most Important 136 8% 44 3% 77 4% 82 5% 22 1% 166 10% 214 12% 122 7% 21 1% 100 6% 65 4% 123 7% 110 6% 301 18% 123 7% 12 1%

Use conductivity in milk to identify infected cows Culture milk samples from high SCC or conductivity cows Culture milk samples from clinical mastitis cases Culture bulk milk tank samples Keep written or computer treatment records for all cows Treat mastitis cows for the full course of antibiotic doses Review treatment records before making treatment decisions Use systemic antibiotics to treat clinical mastitis Use intramammary antibiotics to treat clinical mastitis Use antiinflammatory drugs to treat clinical mastitis Use oxytocin to treat clinical mastitis Use natural (organic) therapies to treat clinical mastitis Use alcohol pads before intramammary tube infusions Train employees in treatment protocols Other

As with mastitis practices, we followed questions about treatment practices by asking them to rank which were the most, second most, and third most important practices in reducing antibiotic use. It is worth noting that the most common response to the most important antibiotic-reducing practice was the

Rebecca L. Schewe

May 14, 2013 use of organic therapies (22%). This is noteworthy because 39% of respondents said that they never use organic therapies. An interpretation of this data is that although not a majority of respondents use organic therapies, those who do use them find them an effective way of reducing antibiotic use. The second most common response was the use of individual cow SCC to identify infected cows, and the third most important response was treating cows for the full round of antibiotics (10%). Treating cows for the full round of antibiotics is the most common response (13%) to the second most important practice and the use of alcohol pads before intrmammary infusions is the second most common response (11%) to the second most important practice.