458. Clinical mastitis in six herds freed from Streptococcus agalactiae

Abstract

The difficulty of keeping herds free from Strep. agalactiae for long periods has been demonstrated in five herds. In one sense, however, these herds were not representative of the majority of herds for they were relatively large and under the same management. Furthermore, if one herd became infected with the streptococcus, there was a real risk of the infection spreading to all herds via the hands of the relief milker, particularly if hand stripping was practised and no special precautions were taken by the relief milker.There is no doubt that herds under the same management should take stringent precautions against the spread of infection between herds.