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Proven mastitis control procedures are available, but few studies have documented their rates of use on commercial dairy farms. This paper presents the results of a mail questionnaire on the use of mastitis control procedures and sources of information on mastitis control, which were administered in December 1981 and again in February 1984 to 213 Minnesota dairy farmers. Sources of information about mastitis control were also determined for the surveyed farms. Response rates to the questionnaire were 56.8% in 1981 and 51.2% in 1984. Herd average milk and butterfat production were higher and somatic cell counts lower on responder's farms than non-responders'. Teat dipping was practiced by approximately 75% of farmers responding to the questionnaire in both years. However, only about one third of respondents used teat dips containing effective disinfectants. Approximately 93% of respondents used dry period therapy (DPT) but less than one half of them treated all quarters of all cows at drying off and approximately one third of them complied with the recommended infusion practices. A combination of effective DPT and teat disinfection practices was used by approximately 15% of respondents in both years of the survey. Segregation of mastitic cows occurred on approximately 40% of respondent farms and milking machine function was checked at least annually on 50%. Participation in routine veterinary reproductive health programs was 51.2% in 1981 and 61.5% in 1984. In contrast, regular veterinary input for mastitis control was received by

In a dose-response experiment it was shown that intraperitoneal injections of 0.062 mg/kg, and 0.1 mg/kg of the dopamine-receptor blocking agent and neuroleptic spiroperidol severely attenuate self-stimulation in the orbitofrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and in the region of the locus coeruleus, in the rhesus monkey and in the squirrel monkey. In the rhesus monkey intracranial injections of 6 mug of spiroperidol bilaterally into the nucleus accumbens or the hypothalamus attenuated self-stimulation of the amygdala, and injections into the orbitofrontal cortex attenuated self-stimulation of the amygdala and lateral hypothalamus. Self-stimulation at other sites tested (including the region of the locus coeruleus) was much less affected by the injections, and injections into the region of the locus coeruleus were ineffective. These results together with other control experiments suggest that spiroperidol can attenuate self-stimulation in the monkey independently of any motor impairment or sedation produced, and that dopamine receptors in particular brain regions are involved in self-stimulation of particular brain sites.

The effects on the adoption of recommended mastitis control practices were compared of an on-farm mastitis education program, the provision of educational materials only, and no intervention. Changes in herd production resulting from the adoption of control procedures were also estimated. Nine herds previously receiving regular reproductive health services were provided with a mastitis control education program designed specifically for them. The education program covered the major current recommendations for controlling endemic mastitis. A further nine herds continued to receive only the reproductive program, while 18 similar herds were sent mastitis control literature only. Farmer practices in mastitis control and knowledge were recorded and evaluated in both December 1981 and February 1984 using a mailed questionnaire sent to the above 36 and a further 168 herds near St. Paul in the same 11 countries. The success of the education program was evaluated by comparing the rates of adoption of recommended mastitis control procedures and the discontinuation of inappropriate procedures. Changes in farmer-perceived rewards to dairying resulting from the program were evaluated for the specifically educated farmers receiving the on-farm education program. The specific mastitis control education program in association with regular reproductive health visits significantly increased the adoption of recommended procedures over other strategies. Adoption of appropriate management changes was not significantly different between herds which received no additional information and herds receiving informative literature alone. The introduction of teat dipping as a control procedure to a herd was associated with a significant increase (P P>0.05). Farmers' perceptions of their rewards from dairying were significantly improved as a result of receiving the integrated mastitis control education program. This was true for the four major rewards identified.