Dr. Rebecca Schewe of Mississippi State University and Dr. Jean Kayitsinga of Michigan State University presented selected initial findings from the Quality Milk Alliance survey at the group's June 2013 meeting at Michigan State.

1. Quality Milk Alliance:
Survey Findings
June 18, 2013
Rebecca Schewe
Jean Kayitsinga
Casey Odom
Alan Coats

2. Outline
1. Key findings
2. Survey methodology
3. Descriptive statistics
4. Key variables: bivariate findings
5. Key variables: multivariate findings

3. Key Findings
• Attitude does matter!
• “I get concerned if the somatic cell count of my herd
reaches…”
• “Mastitis is a problem on my farm”
• Key practices:
– Use of oxytocin for milk letdown
– Use internal teat sealant at dry off
– Use intramammary antibiotics at dry off (dry
treat)
– Changing liners more than 5 times per year

4. Survey Methodology

5. Survey Methodology

6. Herd Size

7. Production

8. BTSCC

9. Milking Practices

10. Mastitis Management
Never Sometimes Frequently Always N/A
Milk mastitis and treated cows in a
separate group
Weighted n 1,019 439 132 1,025 265
Percent 35% 15% 5% 36% 9%
Use oxytocin for milk letdown
Weighted n 1,045 1,544 208 71 60
Percent 36% 53% 7% 2% 2%
Use intramammary antibiotics at dry
off (dry treatment)
Weighted n 292 321 135 2,223 3
Percent 10% 11% 5% 75% 0%
Use an internal teat sealant at dry off
Weighted n 1,467 202 62 1,127 63
Percent 50% 7% 2% 39% 2%
Dock tails
Weighted n 2,180 267 65 406 40
Percent 74% 9% 2% 14% 1%
Singe hair on the udder
Weighted n 1,879 558 201 239 51
Percent 64% 19% 7% 8% 2%

11. Mastitis Management
Never Sometimes Frequently Always N/A
Use vaccines to control coliform
mastitis
Weighted n 1,672 367 127 722 35
Percent 57% 13% 4% 25% 1%
Use vaccines to control staph
aureus
Weighted n 2,188 336 62 239 92
Percent 75% 12% 2% 8% 3%
Insure strict compliance with
milking protocols
Weighted n 199 387 643 1,431 176
Percent 7% 14% 23% 50% 6%
Insure strict compliance with
milking protocols*
Weighted n 28 125 240 543
Percent 3% 13% 26% 58%
Clean alleys/gutters after or
during each milking
Weighted n 83 316 378 2,107 82
Percent 3% 11% 13% 71% 3%
Train employees in mastitis
protocols
Weighted n 354 379 416 903 664
Percent 13% 14% 15% 33% 24%
Train employees in mastitis
protocols*
Weighted n 58 164 221 435
Percent 7% 19% 25% 50%
* Only including those with non-family
employees.

12. Mastitis Treatment and Diagnosis
Never Sometimes Frequently Always N/A
Use individual cow SCC to
identify infected cows
Weighted n 552 789 620 898 71
Percent 19% 27% 21% 31% 2%
Use conductivity in milk to
identify infected cows
Weighted n 1,622 517 179 243 233
Percent 58% 18% 6% 9% 8%
Culture milk samples from high
SCC or conductivity cows
Weighted n 991 1,369 296 155 73
Percent 34% 47% 10% 5% 3%
Culture milk samples from
clinical mastitis cases
Weighted n 933 1,480 258 168 41
Percent 32% 51% 9% 6% 1%
Culture bulk milk tank samples
Weighted n 1,753 798 110 127 39
Percent 62% 28% 4% 4% 1%
Keep written or computer
treatment records for all cows
Weighted n 1,042 453 304 1,022 52
Percent 36% 16% 11% 36% 2%
Treat mastitis cows for the full
course of antibiotic doses
Weighted n 281 647 518 1,439 63
Percent 10% 22% 18% 49% 2%
Review treatment records before
making treatment decisions
Weighted n 547 1,006 431 771 106
Percent 19% 35% 15% 27% 4%

13. Mastitis Treatment and Diagnosis
Never Sometimes Frequently Always N/A
Use systemic antibiotics to
treat clinical mastitis
Weighted n 718 1,346 309 234 190
Percent 26% 48% 11% 8% 7%
Use intramammary antibiotics
to treat clinical mastitis
Weighted n 418 998 567 849 55
Percent 14% 35% 20% 29% 2%
Use antiinflammatory drugs to
treat clinical mastitis
Weighted n 926 1,241 330 224 87
Percent 33% 44% 12% 8% 3%
Use oxytocin to treat clinical
mastitis
Weighted n 1,428 1,023 225 183 62
Percent 49% 35% 8% 6% 2%
Use natural (organic) therapies
to treat clinical mastitis
Weighted n 1,089 955 406 257 119
Percent 39% 34% 14% 9% 4%
Use alcohol pads before
intramammary tube infusions
Weighted n 187 191 170 2,339 57
Percent 6% 6% 6% 79% 2%
Train employees in treatment
protocols
Weighted n 441 423 332 864 655
Percent 16% 16% 12% 32% 24%
Train employees in treatment
protocols*
Weighted n 118 204 146 402
Percent 14% 23% 17% 46%
* Only including those with non-family
employees.

14. Holding Meetings

15. Significant Variables (Bivariate)
Decreases BTSCC Gloves worn Q29
Post-dip Q34
Children Under 16 Milk (with employees) Q55
Financial Incentive (with employees) Q56
Financial Penalty (all) Q57
The entire milking system is evaluated Q38
Number of times liners (inflations) are replaced per year*** Q39
Having a Herringbone ParlorQ21
Housing Dry Cows on Fresh SandQ20
Housing Dry Cows on Fresh Sand and PastureQ20
Housing Lactating Cows on Fresh SandQ20
Use oxytocin for milk let down Q42
Use intra-mammary antibiotic at dry off (dry treatment) Q42
Use an internal treat sealant (at dry off) Q42
Low Threshold of Concern for BTSCC Q49
Increases BTSCC Water Used During Prep Q26
Having a Tie Stall ParlorQ21
Having a Robotic ParlorQ21
Housing Dry Cows on Loose housing (straw, sawdust, or shavings) & PastureQ20
Housing Lactating Cows in Stanchion or Tie Stall BarnQ19
Housing Lactating Cows on PastureQ19
Bedding Lactating Cows on Platform with straw, sawdust, or shavingsQ20
Bedding Lactating Cows in Loose housing (straw, sawdust, or shavings)Q20
Bedding Lactating Cows on PastureQ20
Mastitis is a problem on my farm Q51

16. Mastitis Management

17. Attitude

18. Multiple Regression Models of BTSCC on
Selected Characteristics
• Model 1 – Controls only
• Model 2 – SSC acceptable threshold
• Model 3 – Milking practices
• Model 4 – Mastitis management
• Model 5 – Mastitis Diagnosis and treatment
• Model 6 -- Sources of information
• Model 7 -- Attitudes about mastitis
• Model 5 – Cow environment (bedding and
milking facilities)

19. Predictors Standardized Coefficients
(Beta)
Male .108
Years on dairy farm .189**
White .010
Amish .050
Mennonite .076
Native English speaker .178*
High school or equivalent .171
Some college (include associate degree) .148
Bachelor's degree or beyond .192†
<80% income from dairy farm .022
80 – 99% income from dairy farm .046
Non-family employees -.112
Children < 16 years help with milking .056
Sole proprietor -.084
# of milking cows (log) -.093
Michigan -.218***
2
Model 1 – Controls only

20. Model 2 – SCC Acceptable Threshold
20
Predictors Standardized Coefficients
(Beta)
Acceptable threshold < 300,000 -.568***
R2
0.441

21. Model 3 – Milking Practices
21
Predictors Standardized Coefficients
(Beta)
Udders washed or sprayed with water
before milking
.068
Gloves won during milking -.031
Teats dried before milking .011
Teats disinfected after milking (post-dip) -.007
Change liners more than 5 times/year -.118*
R2 0.457
Note: Responses were 1=Yes; 0=No

22. Model 4 – Mastitis Management
(Q42)
22
Predictors Standardized
Coefficients (Beta)
Use oxytocin for milk let down -.122*
Use intramammary antibiotic at dry off
(dry treatment)
-.223***
Use an internal treat sealant (at dry
off)
-.055
R2
0.520
Note: Scale ranges from 1=Never to 4=Always

23. Model 5 – Diagnosis and Treatment
(Q43)
23
Predictors Standardized
Coefficients (Beta)
Use individual cow CSS to identify
infected cows
.158**
Culture milk samples from high SCC
or conductivity cows
-.136*
Culture bulk tank milk samples -.112*
R2 0.557
Note: Scale ranges from 1=Never to 4=Always

24. Model 6 – Sources of Information
(Q48)
24
Predictors Standardized
Coefficients (Beta)
Milk cooperative .053
Farm journals .128*
Internet -.087
Drug company representatives -.118*
R2 0.586
Note: Scale ranges from 1=Very unimportant to 5=Very important

25. Model 7 – Attitudes (Q51)
25
Predictors Standardized
Coefficients (Beta)
Mastitis is a problem on my farm .150**
Milking equipment plays an important
role in mastitis problems
-.140**
R2 0.617
Note: Scale ranges from 1=Strongly disagree to 5=Strongly agree

26. Model 8 – Cow Environment
26
Predictors Standardized Coefficients
(Beta)
Stanchion or tie stall .271***
Stanchion or tie stall & Pasture
.120**
Loose housing, Outdoor Lot, & Pasture .183***
Platform with sawdust, straw, or wood
shavings
.110*
Sand - (Fresh)
.085
Other bedding types
.100*
Employees received a financial or other
incentive based on milk quality
-054
R2
0.666

27. Recommendations
• Back the basics
• Attitudes: lower acceptable threshold
• Practices:
– Use of oxytocin during milking
– Use internal teat sealant at dry off
– Use intramammary antibiotics at dry off (dry treat)
– Changing liners more than 5 times per year

28. Next Steps
• Sub-group analysis
• Employee practices

29. Attitude
Concern Average BTSCC
100,000 97,323
150,000 113,812
200,000 163,728
250,000 199,367
300,000 240,372
350,000 268,332
400,000 301,578
450,000 353,819
500,000 286,197
> 500,000 317,214
Chi Squared 315.8609***

31. Designed with my Veterinarian
Small Medium Large Total
Designed
with Vet Yes 732.4 52.29 72.31 857
Percent 28% 58% 82%
No 1850 38.51 15.56 1904
Percent 72% 42% 18%
Total 2582 90.81 87.87 2761