More mastitis with larger udders?

[WAguy]

On another forum directed more to family cows, the most popular recommendation is a Jersey. I try to make the case that higher producers have more problems like mastitis, so try to get a dairy/beef cross. Some will say that it's more the way dairy cows are managed that leads to mastitis. So, my question is, if you put a beef cow in a dairy, would she get mastitis just as often?

How often do you get mastitis in beef cows? Do you have more problems in cows with bigger udders?

I have an Angus/Jersey cross, which I find works well as dual-purpose, without problems so far. Of course, with both me and her calf milking her, she stays cleaned out pretty well.

 

[bigbull338]

mastitis isnt caused from being a heavy or low producing cow.its caused from the enviorment.such as being real wet.an cows laying in mudd.standing in the pools can also give them mastitis.sometimes youll see a beef cow get mastitis in teat the calf isnt sucking.but mastitis in beef cattle dont happen that often.now im talking bout a bad case that their teat gets hard an swells.an that has tobe treated with mastitis meds.

 

[angie1]

i have noticed with goats that the biiger udders tend to be only ones ( in my herd) that got mastitis. thought it was because of greater risk of injury to the bag .... did not have enough to form an educated guess....

am typing with grandbaby sleeping on other arm so no capitals ;-)

 

[Irish_Milkmaid]

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Higher production produces more stress in any lactating animal, but properly managed, bigger udders shouldn't have to equal a greater risk for mastitis.

IMO, although ca-ca happens at times no matter what... proper environment and management is not only ESSENTIAL to not only managing high producers- it's also the key to success when working with just about anything!

Just my thoughts, from almost near twenty five years of milking high producing dairy goats...

Trisha

 

[TheBullLady]

I've had both.. dairy and beef, and didn't have more mastitis in the dairy or dairy cross breeds. As suggested earlier, if the cows are in a nasty stanchion barn or a lot, they'll get mastitis much easier than if they are out in a grassy pasture.

 

[dun]

The only problem I've seen with really big uddered cows is the occasioanl step on teat. Managment and sanitation I think are more of the problem thne just udder size. Some dairy herds seem to alwasy have a mastitis problem while others rarely have any.

 

[WAguy]

So, on another thread, someone is interested in getting Angus/Jersey cross cows for his beef herd (no milking). There would be no increased risk of udder problems? Even if it's harder for the calf to clean the increased milk out?

 

[dun]

So, on another thread, someone is interested in getting Angus/Jersey cross cows for his beef herd (no milking). There would be no increased risk of udder problems? Even if it's harder for the calf to clean the increased milk out?

Correct. After a couple of weeks the production would just go down.