Types of Mastitis
Mastitis occurs when harmful microbes enter the teat of a lactating animal and create an infection. There are many microbial strains that can cause mastitis, including: streptococci, staphylococci, coliforms (like E. coli), and corynebacterium.
- Learn more from Merck Veterinary Manual about the different microbial strains that can cause mastitis.
Mastitis can spread quickly through a herd, drastically affect milk production, and put your animals’ comfort and lives at risk. Let’s take a look at the types of mastitis and what symptoms to watch out for.
Sub-clinical Mastitis
- Most common
- Difficult to diagnose (can only be diagnosed by taking microbial cultures or somatic cell counts on individual animals)
- Little to no observable change in udder or milk appearance
- Slightly reduced milk production
- Infected animals can easily incubate infection and pass to others
Clinical Mastitis
- Animal symptoms: swollen, hot, or sensitive udder
- Milk symptoms: flakes, clots, discoloration, watery milk, lowered production
- Symptoms can begin within hours to days from time of infection
- Symptoms can last for days to weeks
Acute Mastitis
- Symptoms appear suddenly
- Animal symptoms: fever, reduced feed/water intake, weakness, rapid pulse, swollen/red/painful udder
- Milk symptoms: dramatically lowered production, very abnormal milk appearance (more severe instances of clinical mastitis milk symptoms listed above)
Chronic Mastitis
- Symptoms last a long time (months to years)
- Animals may remain sub-clinical indefinitely or fluctuate between clinical and sub-clinical mastitis
- Multiple infection cycles within a calendar quarter or lactation season
Click for a mastitis fact sheet from University of Tennessee Ag Extension.
Udder Mud Treatment For Mastitis
Founded by farmers, Redmond has supported health farming operations for over 50 years. Our Udder Mud treatment is harvested from a rich clay and Jurassic Era mineral deposit in central Utah. Our bentonite clay contains over 60 trace minerals perfectly balanced by nature. With added peppermint and tea tree oils, Udder Mud is a natural mastitis treatment for all lactating livestock.
• Learn more about the benefits of Udder Mud
Proven Toxin Absorption And Antimicrobial Benefits
Udder Mud’s powerful and all natural ingredients fight both the symptoms and the cause of mastitis.
Bentonite (aka Montmorillonite Clay)
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has tested and documented the health benefits of bentonite, against many toxins and infections...even against antibiotic resistant microbes.
The NIH states:
“Bentonite clay has been shown to act as a detoxifying agent. This property is referred to its poly-cationic nature, which leads to absorption of negative charge toxins.”
The same study found that:
“natural geological minerals hold antibacterial properties, which might provide the hope for novel therapeutic compounds. It was shown that montmorillonite is able to absorb coliphages T1 and T7 of Escherichia coli in vitro. When the clay was mixed with water (2–4 parts water to 1 part clay) and incubated for 24 hours with live bacteria at body temperature (37°C), a broad spectrum of bacteria was killed.”
In short, the NIH has verified bentonite clay particles can absorb and even kill some of the very microbial strains that cause mastitis (like the E. coli coliforms mentioned above).
- Read more from the NIH clay study.
Peppermint and Tea Tree Essential Oils (EO)
The NIH has also studied and tested the antimicrobial properties of certain essential oils. They found that peppermint oil:
“inhibited the growth of bacterial strains, such as E. coli…and S. aureus” [both mastitis causing microbes]
They also found that:
“The tea tree EO inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli”
- Read more from the NIH essential oil study.
Perfect For Both Traditional And Organic Operations
For traditional operations, Udder Mud is the perfect tool to use in conjunction with veterinarian directed antibiotic therapy. Redmond’s soothing rub can provide quick relief as the antibiotics begin to work.
For organic operations, Udder Mud is an all natural, therapeutic treatment that can provide immediate relief as well as inhibit infection in your animals. Redmond knows that when your animals feel better, you feel better. Get back to what you love about working with livestock and give Udder Mud a try and give us a call at 
to see how else we can help!
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