Mastitis & Udder Health Treatments Category Guide
Part of Animal Health and Veterinary
What Are Mastitis & Udder Health Treatments?
Mastitis and udder health products include everything used to prevent and treat udder infections—intramammary antibiotics (lactating and dry cow), teat dips and sealants, anti-inflammatory medications, and testing supplies for on-farm diagnosis. Mastitis is the most costly disease in dairy, making udder health products essential investments.
Why Udder Health Matters
Mastitis costs the U.S. dairy industry $2+ billion annually through discarded milk, reduced production, treatment costs, and premature culling. Somatic cell count (SCC) is the primary measure of udder health and affects milk quality premiums and market access.
Key Benefits of Good Udder Health
- Higher production: Infected quarters produce less milk
- Quality premiums: Low SCC milk commands premium prices
- Reduced treatment costs: Prevention is cheaper than treatment
- Less discarded milk: Treated cows have withdrawal periods
- Lower culling: Chronic mastitis leads to early removal
Key Product Categories
Teat Dips & Sprays
Applied after milking to kill bacteria on teat skin and prevent new infections. Pre-dips before milking reduce environmental bacteria. Iodine, chlorhexidine, and hydrogen peroxide products are common.
Internal Teat Sealants
Bismuth-based products infused at dry-off that form a physical barrier in the teat canal, preventing new infections during the dry period.
Dry Cow Antibiotics
Intramammary antibiotic tubes infused at dry-off to treat existing subclinical infections and prevent new ones. Selection should be based on pathogen identification and sensitivity.
Lactating Cow Treatments
Intramammary antibiotics for clinical cases during lactation. Product selection depends on causative organism, severity, and withdrawal period considerations.
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
NSAIDs (flunixin, meloxicam) reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and may improve outcomes in severe clinical cases.
Treatment Decisions
- Culture first: Identify the pathogen before selecting treatment
- Severity assessment: Match treatment intensity to case severity
- Chronic cases: Some infections don't respond to treatment
- Prevention focus: Good milking procedures prevent more mastitis than treatments cure
Do You Need These Products?
Every dairy farm producing milk needs:
- Teat dip for post-milking treatment
- Dry cow treatment appropriate for your herd's mastitis profile
- Access to lactating cow treatments for clinical cases
Work with your veterinarian to develop mastitis treatment protocols matched to your herd's needs.
Cost Considerations
Teat dip costs $0.01-0.03 per cow per milking. Dry cow therapy costs $3-10 per cow. Lactating cow treatments cost $5-20 per tube. The ROI from lower SCC, fewer clinical cases, and reduced culling makes investment in prevention highly worthwhile.