Overview of the study

• 429 cows
• 378 milking
• Free stall barn houses all lactating cows with manger headlocks
• Currently bedded with manure solids (not heat treated)
  • ~30% dry matter coming off the separator.
  • Stalls are re-bedded 3x/week.
• J5 Vaccination
  • 4x/lactation (-45, -28, 25, and 90 DIM)

It is important to note that the herd had an ongoing Klebsiella mastitis issue even with frequent J5 vaccination.

General conclusion of the study
conducted by Iowa State University

The prevalence and incidence of klebsiella mastitis was significantly reduced in Kleb-SRP vaccinated cows compared to placebo vaccinated controls. Prevalence, the portion of individuals that tested positive during the study, was reduced by 71% in vaccinates compared to controls. Milk production increased in Kleb-SRP vaccinated cows by 2.0 pounds per cow per day compared to placebo cows. In conclusion, vaccination with a Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine based on the SRP^® technology provided statistically significant protection from klebsiella mastitis.

Dairy farmers are justified in seeing mastitis as the utterly devastating disease that it is. According to Pamela Ruegg, “mastitis is the most common and costly health concern for dairy producers” ¹ and “results in around 65-85% of the industry’s overall use of antibiotics.” ² Mastitis is most frequently caused by bacteria. Cows become exposed through many sources (feces, bedding, milking equipment, water, other animals, etc.). Identifying the correct pathogen is crucial in determining the right course of action.

Not all sources of mastitis are alike...

Bacteria that cause mastitis come from two sources: contagious pathogens (such as Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus) and environmental pathogens such as coliform bacteria and environmental Streptococci (other than Strep. agalactiae). Methods of control differ by pathogen, which is why it is important to identify the different bacteria causing a herd issue and address them accordingly. This document focuses on a specific and innovative new vaccine against coliform mastitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria.

Since "Gram-negative clinical mastitis (CM) is more severe than Gram-positive mastitis due to its effect on milk yield, discarded milk, treatment costs, death, and culling," ³ the lack of effective treatments historically made Klebsiella CM especially troublesome. Klebsiella Vetovax™ SRP^® — a new vaccine using the innovative SRP^® technology against mastitis caused by the coliform bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae — is now available from Vetoquinol.