Natural treatment for mastitis in cows

Mastitis is udder inflammation that can be caused by infection or physical and milking-related problems. The udder may be hot, swollen, firm, or painful, and milk may look watery, clotted, flaky, or bloody. A cow with more severe disease may become dull, feverish, dehydrated, or stop eating. Herbs, oils, poultices, and other household remedies may irritate the teat, delay effective care, or leave residues that are difficult to assess.

Call the herd veterinarian and follow the farm treatment plan. Keep the cow in a clean, dry, comfortable area with easy access to water and feed. Use careful hand hygiene and clean milking equipment, and milk the affected quarter only as the veterinarian advises. Gentle handling can reduce discomfort; forceful massage or squeezing can injure tissue. Label and isolate milk from the treated cow, and record all products used, including non-prescription ones.

Seek immediate veterinary guidance if the cow is off feed, weak, feverish, dehydrated, unable to stand, or worsening quickly. A very painful, dark, cold, or rapidly swollen quarter is also urgent. Natural support is not a reason to postpone treatment, particularly when the cow shows whole-body illness or the milk changes suddenly.

Ask which supportive measures are safe, whether any product should be stopped, how to manage milking and milk disposal, and which signs mean the cow needs emergency treatment.