R.L. Schewe, G. A. Contreras, Jay Kayitsinga, P. Durst, S. Moore, R. Mobley, E. P. Hovingh, R., O. Martinez, L. M. Sordillo, R. J. Erskine - summary of poster explaining preliminary results of the work of the Quality Milk Alliance

1. An Integrated Extension and Education
Program to Reduce Mastitis and
Antimicrobial Use
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant
no. 2013-68004-20439
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Michigan State University1
The Pennsylvania State University2
Mississippi State University3
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University4
R.L. Schewe3, G.A. Contreras1, J. Kayitsinga1, P Durst1, S. Moore1,
R. Mobley4, E.P. Hovingh2, R.O. Martinez1, L.M. Sordillo1, R.J. Erskine1

2. Aim 1- Develop Quality Milk Alliance
(QMA) Evaluation System
Aim 2- Develop Quality Milk
Specialist Certificate program
Phase I – Online
Phase II – Practical Shortcourse
Aim 3- Test QMA
System
160 herds MI, PA, FL
Dairy
Producer and
Veterinarian
Input
Increased dairy
food security
and quality
QMA farm evaluation
system to reduce
mastitis and
antimicrobial use
Quality Milk
Specialists
certified to perform
QMA farm evaluations

3. 5 Key Parts of the QMA Farm Evaluation
QMA
Evaluation
Milking
Proficiency
Milking
System
Environment
Infected
Cows:
Monitoring
and Therapy
Farm
Management
Culture

4. Farm Management Culture
• Engage all Farm Personnel into Quality Milk
Program, including drug use
– Management Practices
– Attitudes
• Help Dairy Producers become “better coaches”
for employees

5. Aim 1- Develop QMA Farm Evaluation
Producer Surveys
Producer and Employee Focus Groups
Advisory Panel
Pilot QMA Evaluation- Test practical
and logistical application in 12 herds
Producer, Employee and Veterinarian
Focus Groups
Advisory Panel
QMA Evaluation System - For education
program (Aim 2) and On-farm evaluation
(Aim 3)

6. Aim 1a
Gathering Herd Information
• Mail Survey: Herds
– 1700 Grade A certified dairy herds
– 752 Michigan
– 820 Pennsylvania
– 128 Florida
– 628 Returned (41% response)
• Mail Survey: Wolfgang Freese Survey Research Laboratory
(Mississippi State University)
– “Five points of contact by mail”
– Initial letter
– First copy of survey
– Reminder letter
– Second and third copy of the survey (if needed)

7. FL MI PA Mean
(all states)
Survey Sample 119 737 765 ----
Surveys Returned
(total response rate)
23
(21%)
281
(39%)
324
(45%) (41%)
Number of Herds:
< 250 cows
4 242 311 ----
Number of Herds:
250-500 cows
7 14 7 ----
Number of Herds:
> 500 cows
12 25 6 ----
Mean Herd Size 1,086 187 77 107
3 month BTSCC
(cells/mL)
238,000 161,000 199,000 191,000

8. Survey Summary
• High compliance for “standard” milking protocols
• Employee training inconsistent
• Significant barriers- Therapeutic decisions
– Record Keeping and Review
– Bacterial culture of milk
– Perceptions of Oxytocin and “Natural Remedies”

9. Aim 1a (cont)
• Focus Groups
– Perspective of dairy farm employees
– Potential barriers of communication
– MI, PA, and FL
• Owners/managers (4 groups)
• English-speaking employees (3 groups)
• Spanish-speaking employees (5 groups).
• Julian Samora Institute, Michigan State University.

10. Quality Milk Alliance Farm Evaluation
• Testing in 12 pilot herds
• Fall, 2013 – Winter 2014
• Practicality and logistics