Lately, environmental streps have been implicated in chronic mastitis problems. Perhaps we have always had problems with these bugs, but we are now recognizing their significance. It sounds as if you are doing most things to reduce the exposure of the teat ends to fecal matter. That is the main goal for resolving a problem with environmental streps. Relying on culture and antibiotic sensitivities is not the solution. Typically, the infections that become chronic are resistant to antibiotics. The University of Illinois has a Mastitis Diagnostic Service, where Illinois producers are sent a care package containing milk culture tubes. Through your veterinarian, we can culture several of your cows with high somatic cell count and help you determine if other organisms besides environmental streps are leading to the chronic mastitis. Staph aureus, mycoplasma, and yeasts are more typical of chronic mastitis, although environmental streps can occasionally become chronic. Make sure your pre-fresh and calving pens are clean and dry. Most new environmental strep infections start at the end of the dry period, prior to calving. Dick Wallace, Dairy Extension Veterinarian, University of Illinois - Illini DairyNET The fundamental principle of mastitis control is that the disease is controlled by either decreasing the exposure of the teat ends to potential pathogens or by increasing resistance of dairy cows to infection (Smith and Hogan, 1997). Environmental streptococci and E. coli are able to survive outside the udder indefinitely, although infected quarters may be a reservoir of infection resulting in mammary gland infections developing as a result of milking. The main factor in controlling infection from the environment is to keep cows clean and dry between milkings, minimizing opportunity for teats to become exposed to environmental pathogens. Dirty teats and udders are difficult to properly clean and dry without upsetting the milking routine. Attention should be given to the following: 1. Provide an environment that will minimize exposure to dirty conditions. 2. Prevention is enhanced by dry cow therapy. 3. Immunize during dry period and early lactation. 4. Keep accurate treatment records. 5. Identify the major pathogens existing in the herd. 6. Establish milking orders. 7. Use milking procedures that stimulate milk ejection and result in clean and dry teats. 8. Design, maintain, and use a milking system that minimizes liner slips. 9. Control flies. 10. Nutrition. Supplementing the diet with vitamin E and selenium, vitamin A and beta-carotene, and balancing dietary copper and zinc content to meet requirements have reduced mastitis. Jerry Jones, Professor Emeritus of Dairy Science, Virginia Tech http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/dairy/404-234/404-234.html

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