I was surfing the bovine mastitis WebPages again, where I marvel continually
about how much more effort has gone into understanding lactation in dairy
herds than in humans.  Anyway, thought you'd enjoy hearing the 8 steps for
mastitis prevention (so it doesn't cut into "your profit motive.")  The
first line of defense is to "prevent bacterial invasion and growth on the
teat skin and in the mammary gland."  To accomplish this, (says D. Hardin,
Univ of Missouri extension vet):

1.  Provide a clean, dry environment for the cow.  Well maintained stalls
and loafing areas are a must.
2. Maintain healthy teat ends.  The teat sphincter is a cow's first line of
defense against invading bacterial pathogens.
3. Properly functioning milking equipment is essential for teat and health.
(maintenance checks of pumps recommended)
4. Use milking equipment properly to minimize squawking and droplet impacts.
Droplet impacts may occur at the end of the milking process when milk flow
is diminished.  Due to a change in pressure, the direction of the milk flow
is reversed and the droplets are propelled back at the teat.  When the
milker unit squawks, air is allowed into the milker unit, a negative vacuum
occurs, and bacteria may be propelled into the teat. (!!!!!   Does this have
implications we should be thinking about???)
5.  Pre and post-milking teat dipping helps prevent colonization and spread
of pathogenic bacteria. (Maybe we need to think about this when women are
pumping.)
6.  Dry cow therapy prevents bacterial colonization of the mammary gland and
aids in eliminating existing infections.
7 Prompt treatment of clinical cases of mastitis will reduce the severity of
infections and the likelihood of chronic infections.
8.  Chronically infected cow should be culled or segregated. THIS LAST
OPTION IS THE ONLY ONE WE SHOULD IGNORE.

Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd., IBCLC
Private Practice, Austin Texas
Visit the "LactNews-On-Line" Web Page
http://www.jump.net/~bwc/lactnews.html