E. coli Mastitis: Emergency Response Checklist

E. coli mastitis can turn a cow from normal to critically ill within hours. Knowing the signs and having a plan on the wall means the right call gets made fast.

Key points

E. coli mastitis can make a cow critically ill within hours.
A sick cow, not just a sick udder, means call the vet immediately.
Do not give any medicine unless your vet says so.
Keep an emergency card with numbers and what to report.
Clean, dry bedding and good milking hygiene prevent most cases.

What E. coli mastitis is

E. coli is a group of bacteria that live in manure and soiled bedding. When they get into the udder, usually through the teat end between milkings, the cow's body reacts strongly. Much of the illness comes from toxins released by the bacteria, so a cow can get very sick very quickly.

It is most common in fresh cows and in cows in dirty, wet or crowded housing. Some cases stay mild, and some become life-threatening.

Because treatment decisions can change within an hour, a short call to your vet early is always better than a long call late. Vets would rather hear about a cow that turns out fine.

Signs that mean call the vet now

A mild case may show only clots or watery milk in one quarter. A severe case can include a hot, swollen quarter, fever, a cow that is off feed, dull, shivering, down or unable to stand, and sharply reduced milk.

Do not wait to see if she improves. If the cow looks sick, not just the udder, treat it as an emergency and call your veterinarian.

Watery, flaky or discolored milk
Hot, swollen or painful quarter
Cow off feed or standing hunched
Shivering, cold ears or weak stance
Cow down and unable to rise
Sudden fall in milk

First steps while you wait for the vet

Move quickly but gently. Keep the cow in a clean, dry, comfortable place with good footing and easy access to water. Note the time you first saw signs, which quarter is affected and what the milk looks like.

Do not give any medicine or product unless your vet directs you to. Do not guess. Your vet will decide on fluids, supportive care and anything else. Stripping out the affected quarter frequently may be part of the plan, so ask.

Have a clean, dry hospital or sick pen ready before you need it, with a gate, good footing and water, so you are not scrambling to set one up in the middle of an emergency.

Keep a written emergency card

Put a simple card in the parlor and office with your vet's after-hours number, the farm address, and a short list of what to tell the vet. Everyone who works with cows should know where it is.

Tell the vet the cow number, days in milk, temperature if you can take it safely, appetite, milk appearance and any other fresh cow problems.

Vet and after-hours number
Farm address and entry directions
Cow ID and days in milk
Signs and when they began
Other recent illness or treatment

Protecting people and other cows

Handle a down or sick cow with care. A weak cow can thrash or fall, so work with help and follow safety practices from your vet and extension. Wear gloves when handling milk from sick quarters.

Milk the cow last or separately, and keep her milk out of the tank as your vet and milk buyer require. Clean and sanitize equipment after use. Treated-animal milk and meat withdrawal times on the label or set by your vet must be followed exactly.

Prevention after the emergency

Environmental mastitis is mostly a cleanliness problem. Keep bedding clean and dry, remove soiled bedding often, avoid overcrowding, scrape alleys regularly and keep the dry cow and maternity pens especially clean.

Review your milking routine: teat prep, drying, unit attachment and post-dip. Check udder hygiene scores with your vet. Ask whether a vaccine program fits your herd, since vet advice differs between farms.

Teach new employees the signs of a sick fresh cow in their first week, since they are often the first people to notice a cow that is off.

Records and review

Record each case with cow, date, days in milk, the quarter and what happened. If several cases appear in a short time, look for a common cause such as wet bedding after a storm, a crowded pen or a change in the routine, and talk it through with your vet.

When to get help: Call your vet at once for any cow with a swollen quarter plus signs of general illness, and follow their instructions. Milk and meat from a treated cow must be held for the full withdrawal time on the label or set by the vet.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

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