Risk factors for clinical mastitis in herds with a low bulk milk somatic cell count. 2. Risk factors for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

The incidence rate of clinical mastitis due to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was studied in 125 herds with a low annual bulk milk somatic cell count (less than 150,000 cells/ml). Risk factors that were offered to a multivariate Poisson regression model included general management, housing, cleaning procedures, cow and cubicle cleanliness, feeds and feeding, dry cow management, milking procedures, machine milking, disease prevention, and milk production. Some differences in epidemiology between E. coli and S. aureus were observed. In the S. aureus model, more milking procedure and milking machine variables were present. The milk production, drinking water source, amount of bedding, and ventilation were other important factors in the S. aureus model. Teat disinfection was an important risk factor in the E. coli model but was much less important in the S. aureus model. Cleaning procedures were more important in the E. coli model. The main breed on the farm and percentage of cows leaking milk were other important factors in the E. coli model.