Milk loss and treatment costs associated with two treatment protocols for clinical mastitis in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to compare milk loss and treatment costs for cows with clinical mastitis that were given antibiotics in addition to supportive treatment or supportive treatment alone. Between January 1994 and January 1996, 116,876 daily milk records on 676 lactations were taken at the University of Illinois Dairy Research Farm. Clinical mastitis was diagnosed during 124 lactations with 25,047 daily milk records, and 1417 of the daily milk records were on days when clinical mastitis was present. Cows with clinical mastitis were randomly assigned to one of 2 treatment groups: N (supportive treatment only) or A (antibiotics in addition to supportive treatment). Extent of antibiotic and supportive treatment varied according to twice daily severity scores. Projected and actual daily milk yields were estimated utilizing a random regression test-day model, and the differences were summed over 305 d of lactation to estimate lactational milk yield loss. The actual amount of discarded milk was added to milk yield loss to determine total milk loss per lactation. A cost analysis that included milk loss and treatment costs was then performed. Cows with clinical mastitis that were given only supportive treatment lost 230 +/- 172 kg (mean +/- standard error of mean [SEM]) more milk and incurred 94 +/- 51 dollars (SEM) more cost per lactation than cows given antibiotics and supportive treatment. Cows given only supportive treatment showed a response pattern of 305-d milk yield loss and economic loss per lactation that varied 2 to 3 times as much as cows treated with antibiotics. Based on reduced milk loss, better reliability (less variable response), and lower economic loss, the addition of antibiotics to supportive treatment was more efficacious and cost effective than supportive treatment alone.