AMR | OZOLEA - Part 2

Reducing metritis occurrence in dairy cows

Marketing 30 March 2022 News

Bacterial contamination of the uterus at calving is ubiquitous. Almost all dairy cows are contaminated at calving; however, this does not automatically result in uterine infections in post-partum.

Many factors influence the establishment of metritis in the post-partum period, which may lead to fertility issues¹. Particularly, calving implies significant physiological and metabolic changes in a short period of time. Consequently, the immune system is more susceptible; thus, the outcome of the contamination strongly depends on the cow’s immune system and response to infections, in addition to the pathogen strain.

A healthy cow has a strong, well-regulated immune response that can resolve bacterial contamination. If the cow has a delayed or lower immune response, she is likely to develop metritis later. Thus, how the cow responds to potential infections really makes the difference.

In addition to this, effective herd management² is required. Moreover, the best way to control the disease consists in monitoring the cow and paying attention to any detectable sign of metritis³. The involvement of the veterinarian must be the routine.

Metritis is a common uterine disease in dairy cows and normally appears 10-14 days after calving. Metritis directly impact the productive and reproductive performance of the cow. It makes the cow globally sick; however, symptoms such as fever may or may not be present: concerning diagnosis, this may be relevant for therapy decisions.

Metritis does not relate only to difficulties at calving (dystocia, twins, retained placenta) and bacterial contamination during parturition. If in the transition period² there is no attention to nutrition and feed intake/access, if the cow’s health status is not constantly checked, as if we do not monitor social and behavioral aspects, we basically create the opportunity for metritis to show up.

Moreover, immediately after calving the risk of hypocalcemia is high. Scientific research (Martinez et al., 2013)⁴ described this metabolic disease as one of the risk factors for metritis: calcium plays essential roles in immune cells and uterine muscle contractions; thus, the effective physiological response to bacterial attack could be compromised.

Concerning antibiotic treatments, interesting results were reported by Pinedo et al. (2015)⁵: only 3 out of 4 cows treated with a specific antibiotic recovered 7 to 9 days after administration. On the contrary, 55 to 62% of untreated cows autonomously recovered. Thus, as we are now fighting against AMR, more info is needed on how the cow may respond to antibiotics.

To reduce the occurrence of metritis in dairy cattle, and, thus, reduce antibiotic usage, good management practices, proper diagnosis and specific treatment are needed to reduce the impact of post-partum metritis on animal health and fertility.

To support the dairy farmer in dealing with minor uterine issues, OZOLEA designed a new no-withdrawal tool: OZOLEA-METR. The product finds application in late post-partum, or about 30 days after calving, when the uterine involution is almost complete, there are no clear symptoms of metritis, but abnormal non-severe vaginal discharge³ may be visible.

OZOLEA-METR is composed of a single ingredient: a pure food grade vegetable oil, bio-engineered with the exclusive OZOLEA technology, which modifies some of the oil’s fatty acid chains, thereby allowing the product, once in contact with the inner wall of the uterus, to improve late post-partum management and uterine tissue performance after insemination, thus boosting conception rates.

OZOLEA-METR supports tissue functionality by creating a film barrier in contact with the inner wall of the uterus: this physical barrier is able to temporary attenuate the causes of bacterial proliferation and metritis occurrence.

References

¹ Improving fertility in repeat breeders.

https://www.ozolea.it/improving-fertility-in-repeat-breeders/

² A comfortable pre-calving period for less stressed fresh cows.

https://www.ozolea.it/a-comfortable-pre-calving-period-for-less-stressed-fresh-cows/

³ The meaning of vaginal discharge in dairy cows.

https://www.ozolea.it/the-meaning-of-vaginal-discharge-in-dairy-cows/

⁴ N. Martinez, L. D. P. Sinedino, R. S. Bisinotto, E. S. Ribeiro, G. C. Gomes, F. S. Lima, L. F. Greco, C. A. Risco, K. N. Galvão, D. Taylor-Rodriguez, J. P. Driver, W. W. Thatcher, and J. E. P. Santos, 2013. Effect of induced subclinical hypocalcemia on physiological responses and neutrophil function in dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 97:874–887

https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(13)00865-5/fulltext

⁵ P. J. Pinedo, J. S. Velez, H. Bothe, D. Merchan, J. M. Piñeiro, C. A. Risco, 2015. Effect of intrauterine infusion of an organic-certified product on uterine health, survival, and fertility of dairy cows with toxic puerperal metritis. J. Dairy Sci. 98:3120–3132

http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8944

Understanding Metritis in Dairy Cows

https://afs.ca.uky.edu/content/understanding-metritis-dairy-cows

Cover Image: Ph. Amber Kipp. Image available here.

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Improving fertility in repeat breeders

Marketing 23 March 2022 News

The repeat breeding syndrome¹ is one of the most critical disorders in dairy cattle. Due to its multifactorial nature, it requires both good management and the right approach for its resolution. Repeat breeders rather suffer from reduced fertility than sterility.

In the last decades, fertility in dairy cattle has suffered a decline. Reproductive deficiency in dairy cows leads to increased involuntary culling. The consequences on profitability can be significant: thus, as repeat breeders represent both management and economic issues, implementing reproductive strategies is fundamental.

On farms, the presence of 3-5% of repeat breeders in the herd can be considered not critical. Higher numbers of repeat breeders should push the dairy farmer to a general revision of fertility management. Lower percentages should likewise raise concerns, as they indicate that the herd is not at its optimum productive potential.

There are several reasons increasing the chances for a cow to become a repeat breeder. Poor management is one of these reasons, in particular:

improper estrus detection;
inadequate timing of insemination or inseminating cows not in estrus;
not strictly following resynchronization protocols;
inadequate semen storage, handling and application;
improper environmental management and cow comfort;
poor nutrition management across the different stages of lactation and in the transition period;
infertile herd sires and bulls in case of natural service;
occurrence of health issues (mastitis, lameness, etc.).

In case of lacking management, there will be an intensive work to do to improve the conditions on farms².

Problems related to the reproductive tract can increase the chance of repeat breeding in cows. In particular, attention should be paid to:

infections (of the uterus – metritis, endometritis, cervical and vaginal infections, other diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa);
endocrine and ovulation impairments;
anatomical defects of the reproductive tract;
poor oocyte quality;
early embryonic or fetal death.

When the cause of repeat breeding is poor fertility, reproductive management tools are useful. For instance, the transfer of embryos into lactating dairy cattle has shown to be beneficial for fertility improvement. However, it represents an expensive and labor-intensive approach economically justifiable only on certain dairy farms.

Along with good herd management, innovative and no-withdrawal tools can be suitable for decreasing the number of repeat breeders in dairy herds.

OZOLEA has developed OZOLEA-METR, an intra-uterine veterinary device to be used in case of minor uterine issues.

The use of OZOLEA-METR in repeat breeder cows represent a valuable approach to improve fertility and boost productivity. OZOLEA-METR must be applied 24 hours after insemination, when the embryo is forming in the tubes but before it descends towards the uterus for implantation.

OZOLEA-METR supports tissue functionality by creating a film barrier in contact with the inner wall of the uterus: this physical barrier is able to temporary attenuate the causes of bacterial proliferation and metritis occurrence.

¹ Acting on repeat breeder cows to increase herd productivity.

https://www.ozolea.it/acting-on-repeat-breeder-cows-to-increase-herd-productivity/

² The fundamental steps towards reproductive efficiency.

https://www.ozolea.it/the-fundamental-steps-towards-reproductive-efficiency/

Cover image: Ph. lhannemann. Image available here.

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The meaning of vaginal discharge in dairy cows

Marketing 23 February 2022 News

Being able to detect (and understand) the meaning of vaginal discharge characteristics in dairy cows is an effective strategy for economic and animal health purposes on dairy farms.

As a matter of fact, vaginal discharge can affect both directly and indirectly the cow’s productive and reproductive performance. However, it is important to remember that vaginal discharge not necessarily mean a complex clinical picture, thus, in certain situations, vaginal discharge may not be linked to inflammatory process or other diseases.

Color, odor, consistency, continuity in elimination and specific processes from which vaginal discharge originates are the discriminating elements that help understand the situation. In particular, vaginal discharge related to pathological or physiological processes can be detected.

The following diseases generally leads to vaginal discharge: puerperal and clinical metritis, clinical purulent, muco-purulent and subclinical endometritis, as well as inflammatory processes affecting the cervix and vaginal vestibule. In certain cases, vaginal discharge may originate from inflammation of non-reproductive organs (bladder, kidneys, etc.). Diseases such as pyometra and mucometra are also responsible for vaginal discharge. Even in case of cystic degeneration we may identify vaginal discharge, as well as in case of late pregnancy loss.

When associated with an inflammatory process, it is important not to underestimate the meaning behind vaginal discharge, since the inflammation implies an increased risk of uterine involution delay, resulting in delays and impairments of reproductive performance in dairy cows.

Although vaginal discharge may be a consequence of health issues, actually it represents a normal event from a physiological point of view. As a matter of fact, physiological vaginal discharge can be detected during the estrous cycle, specifically before (pro-estrus), during (follicular phase) and after ovulation (meta-estrus).

Therefore, vaginal discharge may not necessarily indicate an ongoing inflammatory process, just as an inflammatory process may not necessarily manifest through vaginal discharge. Furthermore, under certain conditions, dairy cows manage bacterial colonization by means of vaginal discharge.

Concerning the post-partum period, vaginal discharge frequently occurs in dairy cows. Calving never takes place in a sterile environment, thus, the uterus is likely to be colonized by bacteria in the first period after calving. However, this does not lead to infections systematically.

Despite the absence of metritis, even cows in the first 10 days after calving can present uterine inflammation along with vaginal discharge. In this case, vaginal discharge reflects the normal evolution of uterine involution. It can be dense, odorless, initially reddish, progressively pink and, finally, transparent.

After calving and the delivery of the placenta, uterine involution is the post-partum phase in which the uterus returns to its normal size. Any delay can lead to disturbances at both productive and reproductive level, with an increase in culling rates. Therefore, it becomes important to check the progress of this process for a prompt intervention.

When occurring regularly, uterine involution is completed in about 30 days after calving. Sometimes, even in case of complete involution, the cow may show vaginal discharge; due to consistency, color, and odor, it is not attributable to any inflammatory process, infection or disease, accompanied by a suboptimal condition of the tone of the uterus. In these situations, it is possible to support the endometrium with OZOLEA-METR.

In late post-partum, once inserted into the uterus, OZOLEA-METR forms a thin film barrier in contact with the endometrium and creates a non-ideal environment for bacterial proliferation: the aggressiveness of a possible bacterial attack is slowed down, while the tissue has time to regenerate and restore the natural competence of both defense and tone recovery.

OZOLEA-METR is a non-pharmacological veterinary device for intra-uterine use that helps the farmer manage minor uterine problems. OZOLEA-METR is composed of a single ingredient: a pure food vegetable oil, bio-engineered with the exclusive OZOLEA technology. The bioengineering process modifies part of the fatty acid chains of the oil, thus allowing the product, once in contact with the inner wall of the uterus, to improve the management of late post-partum and the performance of the uterine tissue after insemination, thus increasing conception rates.

References

Giovanni Gnemmi, Benedetta Gnemmi, Cristina Maraboli, 2021. Significato clinico delle perdite vaginali nel bovino da latte. SUMMA animali da reddito n. 6/luglio-agosto 2021. https://bit.ly/3uRMx3x

Cover image available here.

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When to use OZOLEA-MAST

Marketing 2 February 2022 News

The need for reducing antimicrobials is getting stronger worldwide. While we are focusing on the pandemic, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is still an urgent issue.

Global trends on the use of antimicrobials from 2015 to 2017 indicate that an overall decrease in antimicrobial quantities was observed with a 34% decrease of mg/kg from 2015 to 2017. This positive trend reflects a more prudent use of antimicrobials in the animal health sector. However, further efforts are needed.

In addition to the fight against AMR, animal health, animal welfare and farmers’ profit must be protected.

OZOLEA aims at supporting dairy farmers in their path towards dairy sustainability. Improving herd management and prevention on farms is part of this path: for these reasons, OZOLEA created OZOLEA-MAST.

OZOLEA-MAST is an intra-mammary and non-pharmaceutical veterinary device for the use in dairy cows, during lactation and for drying-off. It is a no-withdrawal solution when dealing with udder issues; moreover, thanks to its versatility, it can be applied both in conventional and organic dairy farming.

We can use OZOLEA-MAST in all those situations requiring a support to the udder tissue. By intervening promptly, the farmer can reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics.

To allow the proper application of OZOLEA-MAST in all these situations, OZOLEA created nine different protocols. Let’s have a complete overview of each of them.

Altered milk and presence of milk flakes

Detecting the first signs of mastitis (milk flakes, altered milk, etc.) while forestripping the milk is one of the most effective approaches to reduce antibiotic usage. For a prompt intervention in this case, OZOLEA defined the SSafeMILK Protocol M1. Find out more: Early detection of mastitis: signs at cow, udder and milk level.

Use in post-partum

The first days after calving represent a delicate moment for the cow, since she has just gone through intensive physiological and metabolic changes. Thus, a higher susceptibility to infections exists. In case of signs of tissue imbalance and no infections, we can support and protect the udder tissue with OZOLEA-MAST and the SSafeMILK Protocol M2. Find out more: Taking care of the cow’s udder in post-partum.

Somatic cell counts: high and chronically high values

Somatic cell count (SCC) is a key element for economic decisions on farms. Depending on the causes generating high or chronically high SCCs, OZOLEA-MAST can be applied in both cases. To facilitate its application, OZOLEA defined the SSafeMILK Protocol M3. Here a focus: Dealing with chronically high SCCs in dairy cows.

Recurrent mastitis

The recurrence of mastitis makes the disease hard to control. How can OZOLEA-MAST be beneficial in this case? Physical udder tissue support and protection, along with improved herd management practices, is the answer. In this case, we will follow the indications reported in the SSafeMILK Protocol M4. More details here: Recurrent mastitis, persistent events or reinfections?.

Severe mastitis or relapse, while waiting for sensitivity test results

The results of antibiogram testing are not immediate. While waiting for them, we can consider the application of OZOLEA-MAST along with the SSafeMILK Protocol M5. In this case, seeking for veterinary advice is fundamental, since this protocol has no no therapeutic effect. Find out more: Clinical examination, milk culture and antibiogram: the ABCs for proper antibiotic therapy decision.

Right after antibiotic treatments

Supporting the integrity of the mammary tissue can be beneficial also in case of full-blown mastitis. Considering that epithelial cells play a role in natural defense mechanisms, the reason lies in the improved synergy between the antibiotic and the target tissue. OZOLEA-MAST can be used in this case following the instructions reported in the SSafeMILK Protocol M6. Here more info: Supporting the integrity of the mammary tissue for the efficacy of the antibiotic.

Changes of electrical conductivity values

Limiting the use of antibiotics is facilitated in automatic milking systems (AMS) thanks to sensors that detect slight changes at milk, udder and cow level. One simple parameter is electrical conductivity (EC): OZOLEA created the SSafeMILK Protocol M7 for an even prompter intervention. More info here: Proper use of data from robotic milking systems for antibiotic reduction.

The use of OZOLEA-MAST for drying off cows

Particularly in the EU, transition to selective dry cow therapy for drying-off cows is now mandatory. Thus, in case of eligible herds, we can use OZOLEA-MAST also in this case following the indication of the SSafeMILK Protocol M8. We discussed this issue here: Selective dry cow treatment: field data for the use of OZOLEA-MAST.

Moreover, when the lactation history of a cow indicates that no issue occured at quarter level, we can think of a selective dry cow procedure with OZOLEA-MAST, by following the instructions of the SSafeMILK protocol M9 (Udder at dry-off: selective dry cow treatment quarter by quarter). To get more info: How individual somatic cell count can help us opt for selective dry cow treatment.

Cover Image: Ph. Amélie Tsaag Valren. Image available here.

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OZOLEA-MAST for animal welfare

Marketing 26 January 2022 News

Animal welfare has become of concern for civil society. It represent a complex and multi-faceted aspect, with “scientific, ethical, economic, cultural, social, religious and political dimensions” (OIE, 2017).

It is linked with food safety, human health and sustainability. The welfare of food producing animals highly depends on how they are raised.

In particular, attention to animal welfare in food producing animals can improve productivity, food security and economic sustainability.

At OZOLEA, animal welfare has always been one of the goals, along with sustainability and food safety. Aiming at the reduction of antibiotic usage in milk production, OZOLEA created veterinary devices for the use in dairy cows, to be applied along with best management practices.

The SSafeMILK project is the ultimate expression of all the effort of OZOLEA, also in terms of animal welfare: a circular model, to be implemented throughout the entire dairy supply chain, which brings benefits to all the players.

Among the major animal welfare and economic issues in dairy cattle, there is mastitis. Milk loss, increased costs associated with animal health assistance, reduced longevity, increased culling rates and reduced productivity and fertility are the main consequences of mastitis.

OZOLEA opted for a product, OZOLEA-MAST, which would support udder tissue before the onset of full-blown mastitis. By intervening promptly, the farmer can reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics.

Right before the onset of clinical mastitis, there is often a disorder in the mammary tissue’s functionality; this tissue degeneration appears to be one of the primary causes of bacterial proliferation and mastitis occurrence.

Moreover, biofilms in mammary glands can exploit a damaged tissue to proliferate and further stressing the tissue. A reduction of effectiveness of antibiotic therapies can be linked to this stress¹.

Thus, supporting the integrity and functionality of udder tissue and allowing the tissue to regenerate autonomously is an effective strategy to allow the expression of natural defense mechanisms.

Along with the implementation of the best herd management practices, OZOLEA-MAST makes it possible by creating a film barrier in contact with the inner wall of the teat canal.

In conclusion, by applying OZOLEA-MAST in combination with the specific protocols that OZOLEA defined for each situations, the occurrence of severe clinical events is reduced noticeably; thus, animals are less stressed and animal welfare can be improved.

We published a focus on animal welfare and AMR recently: click here to read it.

¹ Recurrent mastitis in dairy cows: the role of bacterial biofilms.

https://www.ozolea.it/recurrent-mastitis-in-dairy-cows-the-role-of-bacterial-biofilms/

Cover Image: Ph. Jeremy Huang. Image available here.

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OZOLEA solutions to manage udder issues in organic dairy farming

Marketing 12 January 2022 News

Organic production is based on the interaction between best environmental practices and climate action, a high degree of biodiversity, the protection of natural resources and the application of strict criteria for animal welfare.

In organic animal production, prevention is essential, as is the guarantee of high animal welfare. In the European Union, concerning animal health care, the preventive use of antibiotics is prohibited. In case of need and according to the veterinarian’s recommendation, it is possible to use antibiotics when the use of other products is not suitable, to which extended withdrawal periods for the milk will follow.

In EU organic dairy farming, mastitis prevention is one of the biggest challenges.

OZOLEA wanted OZOLEA-MAST, its product for udder issue management, to be as versatile as possible from the very beginning. OZOLEA-MAST had to be a tool that could be used by all dairy farmers, large and small, both in conventional and organic production.

A product like OZOLEA-MAST becomes strategic in the presence of severe restrictions on the use of synthetic substances for the production of organic milk.

OZOLEA-MAST is designed to support the udder tissue at the first signs of udder tissue secretory disorders. This means being able to reduce the use of unnecessary conventional antibiotics, but having one more chance to avoid the use of antibiotics in organic dairy farming.

OZOLEA-MAST is a non-drug veterinary device for intra-mammary use, during lactation and for drying-off cows. It is a natural product consisting of bio-engineered organic corn germ oil for food use.

The specific bioengineering technology does not add foreign chemical compounds to the oil and guarantees the absence of product traces at the milking following its application.

Support to tissue functionality and, above all, the physical-mechanical filming barrier that OZOLEA-MAST creates to protect the mucosa allow the tissue to proceed with the natural regeneration process and increase the chances of the tissue to autonomously manage bacterial attacks.

When intact, intra-mammary tissue is inherently able to implement the natural defense mechanisms.

Furthermore, OZOLEA-MAST turns out to be a very uncomfortable environment for bacteria: the repetition of the application until the tissue is fully competent makes bacterial colonization difficult and therefore slows down the aggressiveness of the bacterial attack.

Where management measures are optimal to ensure hygiene, nutrition and welfare to the cows, OZOLEA-MAST fits perfectly for a prompt intervention at the first signs of disorder.

Furthermore, by applying OZOLEA protocols along with the use of OZOLEA-MAST in specific circumstances, the onset of full-blown clinical mastitis is significantly reduced, the animals are less stressed and many painful phenomena are avoided: one plus for animal welfare.

Thus, taking into account that OZOLEA-MAST is harmless, safe, effective and sustainable, it is suitable for use in organic dairy farming. In fact, it has already been approved as a compliant input for organic dairy farming in Wisconsin.

This article was published in Vetemontana’s website: here the Italian version.

Cover Image: Ph. Talat Duymaç. Image available here.

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Improve SCCs in your dairy cows to extend longevity

Marketing 5 January 2022 News

Dairy cow longevity influences the economic performance of dairy farms and the environmental footprint of the milk industry. Moreover, it is closely linked to animal welfare: for this reason, the main goal on farms should be longer cow longevity is desirable, aiming at the achievement of dairy sustainability.

Cow longevity is the length of life of the cow determined by either culling decision made by the farmer or death of the animal. Farmers are influenced in the culling decision making process by economic aspects and the need of achieving expected production levels, along with regular reproductive activity and good health status.

Culling is voluntary when the fertile and healthy cow is removed from the herd due to low milk yields produced. Involuntary culling occurs for many reasons, among which we have infertility, udder health and leg issues.

In particular, chronically high somatic cell count¹ levels and mastitis are two of the main causes of involuntary culling. However, through improved and efficient management, this issue, which also affects profitability and milk production, can be tackled.

Let’s have a look at some nice data from scientific literature on the impact of somatic cell count on involuntary culling – and, thus, on dairy cow longevity.

Caraviello and colleagues (2005)² evaluated the impact of SCC on involuntary culling rates of US Holstein and Jersey cows with first calvings (data collected from 1990 to 2000). The authors found that, in the case of Holstein cows, the risk of culling was higher in animals with lactation average SCC levels > 700,000 cells/ml with respect to Holstein cows with SCC of 200,000 to 250,000 cells/mL in herds with low, medium, or high average somatic cell count levels.

In another work, Sewalem et al. (2006)³ assessed the level of SCC and explored the impact of somatic cell score (SCS) on the functional longevity (defined as the number of days from the first calving to removal from herds) of Canadian dairy cattle. The authors observed that, as the SCS increased beyond the average detected for the three breeds assessed (Holstein, Ayrshire, Jersey), the relative risk of culling increased noticeably.

How to reduce the impact of culling, particularly when involuntary, on longevity and boost milk production?

The key points are herd management and animal welfare: anything that will benefit cows in terms of animal health and welfare must be improved.

Dealing with chronically high somatic cell counts is hard work: OZOLEA considered this while developing OZOLEA-MAST, the non-pharmaceutical veterinary device for intra-mammary use in dairy cows, in lactation and at dry-off.

Before deciding to cull a cow due to chronically high somatic cell counts, a dairy farmer could give OZOLEA-MAST a try.

Depending on the causes leading to high SCCs, OZOLEA-MAST allows the mammary tissue to autonomously regenerate, thus improving udder functionality. The result of tissue regeneration is a reduction in epithelial flaking (flaking cells) and a better defensive action against pathogens. This is due to better performance of the improved tissue condition.

To support the efficacy of OZOLEA-MAST at its best, OZOLEA provides dairy farmers with the right protocol in this situation (Protocol M3 – Udder, lactation: chronically high somatic cell count). In this case, the SCC will not dramatically drop below the expected value.

Depending on the initial value, the SCC will gradually decrease over time. Thus, repeating the protocol twice would help further reduce SCC, while continuing shipping the milk.

OZOLEA-MAST was designed to be applied along with improved management practices for a prompt use: this is how it can help you reduce the occurrence of mastitis in your dairy herd, thus reducing culling rates.

¹ Dealing with chronically high SCCs in dairy cows.

https://www.ozolea.it/dealing-with-chronically-high-sccs-in-dairy-cows/

² D. Z. Caraviello, K. A. Weigel, G. E. Shook, P. L. Ruegg . Assessment of the Impact of Somatic Cell Count on Functional Longevity in Holstein and Jersey Cattle Using Survival Analysis Methodology. Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 88, Issue 2, February 2005, Pages 804-811

https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(05)72745-4

³ A. Sewalem, F. Miglior, G. J. Kistemaker, B. J. Van Doormaal . Analysis of the Relationship Between Somatic Cell Score and Functional Longevity in Canadian Dairy Cattle. Journal of Dairy Science Volume 89, Issue 9, September 2006, Pages 3609-3614

https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72400-6

Dallago, G.M.; Wade, K.M.;Cue, R.I.; McClure, J.T.; Lacroix, R.;Pellerin, D.; Vasseur, E. Keeping Dairy Cows for Longer: A Critical Literature Review on Dairy Cow Longevity in High Milk Producing Countries. Animals 2021, 11, 808. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030808

Cover image: Ph. Veronica White, available here.

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OZOLEA: harmless, safe, effective, sustainable solutions for the fight against AMR

Marketing 29 December 2021 News

For decades, the use of intra-mammary antibiotics has been the main strategy to manage udder issues in dairy cattle. Dairy farmers have made improvements on their farms by applying prevention and control strategies. This helped reduce the use of antibiotics and allowed dairy farmers to ameliorate milk production from different points of view.

However, in these years bacteria have had the opportunity to develop resistance to antimicrobial products and, now, further improvements are needed on farms.

According to the recent WHO report on 2020 antibacterial agents in clinical and preclinical development¹, the research pipeline is still experiencing some difficulties in providing new effective antimicrobials. This is further feeding the development of AMR. WHO shows that the 43 antibiotics currently under clinical development are still insufficient to tackle AMR.

AMR is also of concern for food safety, since food products represent a potential route of exposure for everyone. Thus, efficiency and innovation, along with best management practices, are the key aspects to be implemented in the food supply chain, including primary production.

Reducing antimicrobials on dairy farms, deciding for their prudent use only when strictly necessary, will limit the ability of bacteria to develop further resistance mechanisms in our supply chain. Thus, it will put antimicrobial research in front of fewer challenges to face.

Working in this direction means preserving the efficacy of existing antimicrobials, thus allowing the research pipeline to take a breath and continue to put effort into finding new effective molecules.

The idea of developing harmless, effective, safe, suistainable solutions perfectly fits into this environment. By providing these solutions along wiht appropriate management practices, OZOLEA aims at helping dairy farmers reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics and improve their profitability.

Implementing OZOLEA solutions means deciding for being at the forefront against AMR, reducing antimicrobials, while indirectly supporting research in the path towards the development of new molecules useful for protecting human health.

In this context, OZOLEA designed and created OZOLEA-MAST.

For a prompt intervention in a specific range of time, before things would get worse, to allow continue shipping the milk and to have no residue in the milk tank, OZOLEA-MAST must had been harmless, effective, safe and sustainable since the beginning. And so it is.

It is harmless since it does not contain active substances. This means no side effect, but requires attention in identifying the first signs of udder distress and consistency with the SSafeMILK protocols.

When used promptly, it supports the functionality of the tissue and it is particularly effective when the animal has a residual defensive competence.

It is safe both for the animal and the final consumer: it leaves no traces in the milk tank, it cannot lead to antimicrobial resistant bacteria that can affect animals and consumers with infections difficult to treat.

It is sustainable since it helps reduce milk waste due to withdrawal periods. It also supports animal welfare by reducing many clinical cases: less stressed animals are better also for the environment.

¹ 2020 Antibacterial agents in clinical and preclinical development: an overview and analysis. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240021303

Cover image: Ph. Lucas van Oort. Picture available here.

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Why the fight against AMR cannot exclude animal welfare

Marketing 22 December 2021 News

The Lisbon Treaty of 2009 explicitly recognizes that animals are sentient beings; thus, the European Union and its Member States bear an ethical responsibility to prevent maltreatment, pain and suffering.

The safety of the food chain is directly connected to the welfare of animals farmed for food production since animal welfare, animal health and food-borne diseases are closely related: in fact, stress factors and poor welfare can lead to higher susceptibility to disease transmission among animals.

All this represents an increased risk for food consumers, who can be exposed to pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli. The fact that these and other species of bacteria can develop resistance to antimicrobial substances when these products are used imprudently makes things worse throughout the entire food supply chain, both for human and animal health as well.

Thus, the fight against AMR goes hand in hand with animal welfare. Responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials involves the implementation of good animal welfare practices to reduce unnecessary suffering and to make animals healthier. Introducing good welfare practices also means reducing stress and, therefore, susceptibility to infections.

Basically, it means a reduced need for antimicrobials. Thus, prudent use of antimicrobials and animal welfare are not in contrast: it is a mutual relationship.

The basic principle is that livestock farming should no longer depend on antimicrobials. The European Union embraced this principle and put it into writing with the new Regulation on Veterinary Medicinal Products, applicable in all the EU Member states from 28 January 2022. In particular, the new rules concerning veterinary prescriptions, restrictions on prophylaxis and metaphylaxis, the use of critically important antimicrobials (CIA) in veterinary medicine, the One-Health approach, etc. will help.

The use of antimicrobials must occur and be prescribed only when really necessary. Their administration must be along with good management, good housing, appropriate nutrition and a high level of biosecurity on farms to minimize the infection pressure. Moreover, farmers have to involve the veterinarian in a decision-making process aimed at the definition of an effective health management plan. This includes also regular veterinary visits and a constructive relationship.

Many are the key points to take into account for an efficient management on dairy farms. Undoubtedly, these key points have to be monitored and discussed to check for their effectiness.

The concept behind the OZOLEA approach considers and aims to an improved level of animal welfare in dairy cattle worldwide. Each solution and strategy we develop never forgets animal welfare.

Our mission is to reduce antibiotic resistance in dairy farms, using new herd management protocols, for a milk production focused on animal health and welfare and, thus, on the final consumer.

This is why our leading product, OZOLEA-MAST, is not “just” a veterinary device: it represents an innovation among animal health products that comes just right before the onset of a full blown mastitis, and it works without depending on active substances. The simple but revolutionary physico-mechanical action, along with the proper protocol, helps dairy farmers to act promptly in case of udder issues and continuing shipping the milk.

By adopting OZOLEA tools and protocols, the occurrence of severe clinical events is remarkably reduced. The animals are less stressed and many painful phenomena are avoided. To spread this approach all over the world, OZOLEA launched and now promotes the SSafeMILK project.

Cover Image: Ph. Suvrajit S, image available here.

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Dairy supply chain, a team game against AMR

Marketing 15 December 2021 News

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a food safety risk since the food chain is a potential route of exposure to resistant bacteria for everyone. Bacteria can develop resistance to chemical substances both in plant and animal production, thus good hygiene practices aiming at prevention and control by using antimicrobials prudently are key to addressing AMR.

In addition to the increased risks associated with resistant bacteria, AMR must be addressed since a further development would limit the effectiveness of already existing antimicrobial agents even more.

In the dairy sector, antimicrobials are vital tools for health management. In particular, udder issues in dairy cattle have led to an extensive use of such products. Dairy farmers have made improvements by implementing efficient practices on farms. However, countries all around the globe are demanding actions against AMR through prudent use of antimicrobials in livestock production, and some of them by the definition of a specific regulatory framework (e.g., the European Union with the new Regulation on Veterinary Medicines¹).

AMR has no borders. It can spread in humans, animals and the environment and across countries. This means that we must build a global team against AMR, which must be coordinated, at sector level, throughout the entire food supply chain.

Thus, if we consider the dairy supply chain, any operator has to follow effective rules to help tackle AMR.

The bulk of the work must occur in milk production. Dairy farmers are directly involved in this fight, as they have to ensure the best biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of diseases and resistant strains onto the farm. This implies: a well-defined health management programme, the prudent use of antimicrobials as indicated by the manufacturer, a good milking routine, safe feed and water, comfort for the animals.

In this context, the support from veterinarians is required. Veterinarians have a key role in ensuring prudent use of antimicrobials; therefore, when prescribing antimicrobial medicinal products, they have to rely on their knowledge of AMR, their epidemiological and clinical knowledge and their understanding of the risk factors for individual animals or group of animals.

As a food safety issue, AMR concerns also dairy processing. As a matter of fact, processors, too, are involved in the fight; they can do their part by: providing clear specifications for raw milk, setting up quality management systems, applying HACCP principles for the management of AMR-related hazards, audit activities, checking antimicrobial residues at the plant gates.

OZOLEA launched the SSafeMILK project to support the sustainability of the dairy supply chain by providing tools and strategies against AMR in dairy. SSafeMILK is a circular chain production model benefiting all the players of the dairy industry. The effort made by farmers will be adequately valued for a more sustainable livestock production. Dairy processors will also benefit from a more sustainable milk. More sustainable milk and dairy products mean safer food to consumers.

Many dairy farmers, dairy processors and veterinary products distributors have already taken part in this project which will also benefit food consumers for a safer, more sustainable and environmentally friendly dairy supply chain².

OZOLEA is ready to welcome other players, such as dairy processors, in this project.

¹ Reg. (EU) 2019/6 on veterinary medicines applicable from 28 January 2022: are we ready?

https://www.ozolea.it/reg-eu-20196-on-veterinary-medicines-applicable-from-28-january-2022-are-we-ready/

² Reducing antibiotic usage in dairy cattle: OZOLEA five years after its foundation.

https://www.ozolea.it/reducing-antibiotic-usage-in-dairy-cattle-ozolea-five-years-after-its-foundation/

Guidance on Antimicrobial Resistance from the Dairy Sector

https://fil-idf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Factsheet-003_2017-Guidance-on-Antimicrobial-Resistance-from-the-Dairy-Sector.pdf