Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship
In recent decades, Blanket Dry Cow Therapy (BDCT) has been regarded as a cornerstone strategy for the control of mastitis in dairy cows during the dry period. However, concerns regarding the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance and the associated zoonotic risks have prompted a paradigm shift, l...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Ionela Delia Ut Daniel Ionut Berean Liviu Marian Bogdan Simona Ciupe Sidonia Gog Bogdan |
| author_facet | Ionela Delia Ut Daniel Ionut Berean Liviu Marian Bogdan Simona Ciupe Sidonia Gog Bogdan |
| author_sort | Ionela Delia Ut |
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| description | In recent decades, Blanket Dry Cow Therapy (BDCT) has been regarded as a cornerstone strategy for the control of mastitis in dairy cows during the dry period. However, concerns regarding the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance and the associated zoonotic risks have prompted a paradigm shift, leading to intensified research into alternative management approaches. In response, many countries have adopted a more targeted approach, known as Selective Dry Cow Therapy (SDCT), which focuses on the therapeutic use of antibiotics, administered only to cows or quarters that are either infected or at high risk of infection during the dry period. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the scientific literature regarding the main methods for selecting animals for SDCT, the impact of this strategy on udder health, milk production, farm economics, and antibiotic consumption, as well as the factors that may influence its effectiveness. Over time, a range of methods have been developed to identify infected animals, including bacteriological culture, somatic cell count (SCC), differential somatic cell count (DSCC), and the California Mastitis Test (CMT), which are often used alone or in combination with clinical mastitis history and/or parity. Among these methods, SCC has proven to be the most economically viable and best suited for practical use, while its combination with DSCC has been shown to significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy. According to the studies reviewed, SDCT is a safe and effective strategy for maintaining udder health and farm profitability, as long as infected cows are accurately identified, and internal teat sealants are used in quarters not treated with antibiotics during the dry period. However, since udder health is influenced by herd characteristics, management practices, and regional pathogens, the findings cannot be universally applied and must be adapted to each herd’s specific conditions. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e632917bac4041a8b1a7e4948d155b5c2025-08-20T03:26:56ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-06-0112658010.3390/vetsci12060580Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial StewardshipIonela Delia Ut0Daniel Ionut Berean1Liviu Marian Bogdan2Simona Ciupe3Sidonia Gog Bogdan4Department of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur 3-–5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur 3-–5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur 3-–5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur 3-–5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Surgery and ATI, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaIn recent decades, Blanket Dry Cow Therapy (BDCT) has been regarded as a cornerstone strategy for the control of mastitis in dairy cows during the dry period. However, concerns regarding the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance and the associated zoonotic risks have prompted a paradigm shift, leading to intensified research into alternative management approaches. In response, many countries have adopted a more targeted approach, known as Selective Dry Cow Therapy (SDCT), which focuses on the therapeutic use of antibiotics, administered only to cows or quarters that are either infected or at high risk of infection during the dry period. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the scientific literature regarding the main methods for selecting animals for SDCT, the impact of this strategy on udder health, milk production, farm economics, and antibiotic consumption, as well as the factors that may influence its effectiveness. Over time, a range of methods have been developed to identify infected animals, including bacteriological culture, somatic cell count (SCC), differential somatic cell count (DSCC), and the California Mastitis Test (CMT), which are often used alone or in combination with clinical mastitis history and/or parity. Among these methods, SCC has proven to be the most economically viable and best suited for practical use, while its combination with DSCC has been shown to significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy. According to the studies reviewed, SDCT is a safe and effective strategy for maintaining udder health and farm profitability, as long as infected cows are accurately identified, and internal teat sealants are used in quarters not treated with antibiotics during the dry period. However, since udder health is influenced by herd characteristics, management practices, and regional pathogens, the findings cannot be universally applied and must be adapted to each herd’s specific conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/6/580dry cow therapymastitis controlantibiotic resistancedairy cowsudder health |
| spellingShingle | Ionela Delia Ut Daniel Ionut Berean Liviu Marian Bogdan Simona Ciupe Sidonia Gog Bogdan Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship Veterinary Sciences dry cow therapy mastitis control antibiotic resistance dairy cows udder health |
| title | Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship |
| title_full | Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship |
| title_fullStr | Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship |
| title_full_unstemmed | Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship |
| title_short | Selective Dry Cow Therapy in Modern Dairy Management: Balancing Udder Health and Antimicrobial Stewardship |
| title_sort | selective dry cow therapy in modern dairy management balancing udder health and antimicrobial stewardship |
| topic | dry cow therapy mastitis control antibiotic resistance dairy cows udder health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/6/580 |
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