Dairy Herd Network once published a short article online entitled,"Focus on dry-off for better milk quality." It stressed the 
need to minimize exposure to pathogens to prevent new udder infections and to manage existing sub-clinical infections. To achieve the stated goal of better milk quality, the dairyman is advised to:
• Administer dry-cow intramammary tubes.
• Use an internal teat sealant.
• Vaccinate against E. coli mastitis.
You can read this article here.
My first thought when I read this piece was how we all tend to compartmentalize almost everything into smaller and smaller boxes. We have ‘production programs,’ ‘fresh-cow programs,’ dry-cow programs,’ and so on ad nauseam. What we really need is a universal animal health program. Some basic tenets of such a program would be:
• Start with the soil. Make sure your crops are grown on fertile, highly mineralized, biologically active, high organic matter soils that are free from herbicides, insecticides, antibiotics and GMO contamination.
• Feed only feeds that are inherently "natural" to the species…feeds that are appropriate to the species, age and intended production. In dairy cows this equates to a nutritious, high forage diet. Avoid urea, animal fats, cottonseed and excess protein.
• Provide an environment or lifestyle as near as possible to one inherently natural to the species.
• Provide a source of free choice individual minerals, trace minerals, salt…and kelp.
• Provide immune support at critical stress periods. Focus on the pregnant female and the newborn.
• Schedule regular and frequent checks of water quality, stray voltage, production equipment and handling procedures.
• Pay attention to genetics…avoid inbreeding and cull vigorously. Genetic expression is greatly influenced by nutrition and environment.
• Believe in what you are doing. Be skeptical of bought-and-paid for research. Trust your own powers of observation. Remember Albrecht’s aphorism; "Read books and study nature, if they don’t agree, throw away the books."
Animal health does not come in a bottle or a vaccine or a teat dip. Over a period of time, adherence to the natural principles listed above will minimize having to focus on symptom relief or avoidance.
Advanced Biological Concepts' Mission Statement is to "Improve the quality of life for mankind: by improving the quality of life for animals through natural nutrition."
The first guideline to achieve that goal is – "Always focus on the cause of a disease, not the symptom."
Check out our many products to achieve these goals right here on our website, www.abcplus.biz!