Risk-assessment tool

AgriLabs introduces a new mycoplasma mastitis risk-assessment tool that veterinarians can use when advising their dairy-producer clients.

The four-page, full-color educational tool uses a two-step process to evaluate an individual herd's risk for mycoplasma mastitis, the company says.

The brochure also presents background information about the disease and offers mycoplasma-management suggestions for 10 different herd situations.

"Recent research conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) showed 23 percent of dairy operations had not heard of mycoplasma, while 47 percent recognized mycoplasma by name only," says Dr. Travis Thayer, AgriLabs Technical Services. "Veterinarians are key in increasing awareness of this disease, and play an integral role in helping producers establish biosecurity protocols to control mycoplasma mastitis."

The first risk-assessment step highlighted in this educational brochure looks at general herd-management practices, and uses a 50-point scale to designate a herd as having a low, medium or high risk for mycoplasma mastitis.

The second step shows six parameters for evaluating a herd's current mycoplasma-management practices. After completing these two steps, veterinarians can work with each client to adjust herd-management practices to help reduce the risk of mycoplasma mastitis infections.

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