UNASSIGNED: The ability to reduce somatic cell counts (SCC) and improve milk quality depends on the effective and consistent application of established @entity1271 control practices. The US dairy industry continues to rely more on nonfamily labor to perform critical tasks to maintain milk quality. Thus, it is important to understand dairy producer attitudes and beliefs relative to management practices, as well as employee performance, to advance milk quality within the changing structure of the dairy industry. To assess the adoption rate of @entity1271 control practices in United States dairy herds, as well as assess social variables, including attitudes toward employees relative to @entity1271 control, a survey was sent to 1,700 dairy farms in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida in January and February of 2013. The survey included questions related to 7 major areas: sociodemographics and farm characteristics, milking proficiency, milking systems, @entity291 environment, infected @entity291 monitoring and treatment, farm labor, and attitudes toward @entity1271 and related antimicrobial use. The overall response rate was 41% (21% in Florida, 39% in Michigan, and 45% in Pennsylvania). Herd size ranged from 9 to 5,800 @entity291 . Self-reported 3-mo geometric mean bulk @entity13873 SCC (BTSCC) for all states was 194,000cells/mL. Multivariate analysis determined that proven @entity1271 control practices such as the use of internal teat sealants and blanket dry @entity291 therapy, and not using water during udder preparation before milking, were associated with lower BTSCC. Additionally, farmer and manager beliefs and attitudes, including the perception of @entity1271 problems and the threshold of concern if BTSCC is above 300,000cells/mL, were associated with BTSCC. Ensuring strict compliance with milking protocols, giving employees a financial or other penalty if BTSCC increased, and a perceived importance of reducing labor costs were negatively associated with BTSCC in farms with nonfamily employees. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to managing @entity1271 , one that includes the @entity1 dimensions of management to maintain the practice of scientifically validated @entity1271 control practices.

Herd management and social variables associated with bulk XXXX somatic cell count in dairy herds in the eastern United States.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity13873 :: ('539513(Tax:9913)', 'Gene') :: ['tank'] @entity291 :: ('9913', 'Species') :: ['cows', 'cow'] @entity1271 :: ('MESH:D008413', 'Disease') :: ['mastitis']
@entity13873 :: (539513(Tax:9913),Gene) :: ['tank']
