A young herd should have minimal Staph while a herd that includes a number of purchased older cows may have more. Finding it indicates infected cows but not finding it, or having it present at low levels, shouldn't be interpreted as no problem. Infected cows may shed low numbers of the Staph aureus bacteria or the shedding may be unpredictable, so it may be present, but at levels below the sensitivity of the test. I t is important with all these measurements to do them routinely and track of the pattern over time. The trend is sometimes more meaningful than an individual number.
S ample all clinicals to determine which bacteria are present and determine if there is a pattern.
Early identification may allow steps to be taken that prevent more wide spread problems. It can suggest whether the issue is due to environmental or contagious bacteria and it may indicate a need for a change in the dry cow program. A ll this information is necessary on a new, large-scale dairy because there is no history on many of the animals. The data will allow a trend line to be established for a number of key parameters and over time the database will serve as a reference point for status of the ongoing operation. Observations on Teat Lesions.