Authorisation of Dry Cow Therapy - Effective from 1 January 2027

objective to set expectations for veterinarians when authorising dry cow antibiotic treatment (dcat) and internal teat sealants (its) introduction effective management of udder health during lactation, around the time of drying off and over the dry period, is typically achieved through careful attention to milking management, udder hygiene, minimising exposure to environmental bacteria, nutrition, and stock handling restricted veterinary medicines (rvms) including internal teat sealants (its) and antimicrobial products play an important role in curing existing intramammary infection (imi) and minimising the risk of subclinical and new imi over the dry period while antimicrobials are an effective element of an udder health programme https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes , their use must be justified at the individual cow level with the aim of minimising the risk of antimicrobial resistance and food residues this applies during lactation and at dry off veterinarians authorising dcat must have clear justification for this use this includes having a sound understanding of the current prevalence and incidence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in the herd, the bacteria involved, the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapies, and mastitis management controls in use on the farm principles for prescribing dcat and its 1 a key component in managing the risk of antimicrobial resistance emergence is the veterinary authorisation for dcat only when it is justified and appropriate 2 veterinary authorisations require veterinarians to make a professional judgement and appropriate recommendations 3 a veterinary authorisation of dcat must meet all standards for the authorisation of rvms as set out by the acvm notice requirements for authorising veterinarians (acvm notice) https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes and code of professional conduct (code) https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes 4 dcat must only be authorised following a consultation where the veterinarian has collected sufficient information https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes 5 veterinarians authorising dcat must be involved in the ongoing udder health programme of the cows/herd 6 if more than one veterinarian (e g general practitioner and a veterinary consultant) is involved in managing the udder health programme on a farm, each must seek the owner’s consent and must communicate with the other veterinarian(s) to share information to ensure optimal treatment and welfare outcomes 7 current smartsamm technote 14 recommended best practice is to ensure that all cows are protected by some form of treatment during the dry period – either being internal teat sealants (its) or dcat, or a combination of both its are used to reduce the risk that uninfected quarters become infected during the dry period, and extend the period of reduced risk when used in combination with dcat dcat is used to treat existing intramammary infections reduce the risk that uninfected quarters become reinfected during the dcat period of activity authorising selective dcat and its for herds with a low bulk milk somatic cell count, low incidence rate of clinical mastitis, and low culling percentage for mastitis related problems, it is likely that few cows are truly infected at drying off cows that are at low risk https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes of having an intramammary infection at the time of dry off do not require dcat therefore, herds with indicators of a low prevalence of infection https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes should not use dcat in every quarter of every cow (i e selective dcat should be used) its should be used instead of dcat to prevent new infections over the non lactating period in those cows that are unlikely to be infected at drying off the hygienic administration of products (particularly internal teat sealants) and the herd management pre and post dry off (to ensure minimal milk leakage and good retention of its), are fundamental to successful drying off selective dcat involves the treatment of a subset of cows within a herd that are likely to be infected with a pathogen and would benefit from dcat https //www dairynz co nz/media/rtpkgfos/dairynz technote 14 dry cow strategy pdf provides guidance for which cows are likely to benefit from dcat all cows will benefit from an its veterinarians’ responsibilities when authorising selective dcat and its dcat/its must only be authorised by a veterinarian for herds https //www vetcouncil org nz/web/3 about/current%20projects/under the care of a veterinarian aspx the authorising veterinarian must have visited the herd at least once in the previous six months, and must ensure the information is sufficient (as defined in the appendix), and that there is a current udder health programme when authorising dcat, veterinarians are expected to review animal health and herd test records and only authorise dcat for use in cows that are likely to be infected as recommended in technote 14 (i e selective dcat treatment) veterinarians must be able to justify each individual animal’s treatment by ensuring there is sufficient evidence to support a need for dcat use for each animal for which the product is authorised (i e individual cow somatic cell count (icscc) (herd test) results and other mastitis diagnostics test results, where available) analysis of icscc, with or without the inclusion of clinical case information during the preceding lactation, has been shown to be effective across numerous national and international research studies in the assessment of the prevalence and incidence of mastitis in individual cows this supports the application of icscc for choosing individual cows for selective dcat https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes where herds do not undertake herd testing, alternatives such as a hand held rapid mastitis test (rmt) https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes , or automated conductivity or somatic cell measures via the milking management system, or other evidence based and validated testing methods that meet industry standards, may be used to define intramammary infection status veterinarians are expected to use their judgement and an evidence based medicine approach to authorise dcat / its this should include the likely diagnosis, where appropriate, and the reason for the proposed course of action treatment options including expected outcomes, risks including the accuracy of the tests, side effects, benefits, and costs (this may be a range of likely costs) the veterinarian’s experience and skills to undertake the treatment, if relevant referral or further testing options, where appropriate; and post treatment requirements and likely costs the authorising veterinarian must ensure all persons administering rvms are competent https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes this includes providing advice on adequate teat disinfection, administration technique (nzva’s https //nzva org nz/clinical resources/cattle/dry off/ are an example of a best practice approach and are useful to help inform veterinarians’ decisions), and milk and meat withholding periods particularly where its are used alone, the application requires appropriate hygienic insertion to avoid potential iatrogenic intramammary infections and subsequent animal welfare issues veterinarians are expected to ensure all persons administering rvms are competent to do so veterinarians must include the following information as a minimum in dry off authorisation documents and clinical records a clinical history consultation and examination details cow identification list or the methodology for the authorisation of dcat and/or its the decision making process and supporting evidence, the results of any diagnostic tests that led to the decision for treatment, and their reasons for deciding to use the antibiotic in individual cows, including the diagnosis (confirmed or suspected) the name of the product and details about its administration and withholding periods the communications and instructions given to the owner or person in charge relating to the authorisation the assessment and provision of the appropriate level of advice and training to administrators instructions for monitoring for adverse events and mastitis over the dry period, and a process for reporting such cases to the authorising veterinarian drying off plan, including feeding strategy a document of the owner’s informed consent to the treatment plan authorising whole herd dcat definition of whole herd dcat https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes for the purposes of this statement, whole herd dcat is defined as treatment of cows with dcat irrespective of the likely infection status https //www dairynz co nz/media/rtpkgfos/dairynz technote 14 dry cow strategy pdf based on recent evidence, the nmac (national milk quality advisory council) has updated smartsamm technote 14 and recommends that selective use of dcat is the default approach for most herds guidelines for when whole herd dcat may be justified are provided by the nmac (table 3) technote 14 table 3 (2025) herds where whole herd dry cow antibiotic treatment (dcat) may be justified measure of infection criteria 1 bulk milk scc arithmetic mean bulk milk scc until end of 7th month of lactation ≥200,000 cells/ml (equivalent to whole season bulk milk scc above 250,000 cells/ml) and 2 indication of significant change in prevalence of infection during late lactation arithmetic mean monthly bulk milk scc has increased by >40,000 cells/ml between the 6th and 7th months of lactation (equivalent to arithmetic mean monthly bulk milk scc increases across last 3 months of lactation by ≥50,000 cells/ml) (nb this means an increase of 50,000 over the last three months of lactation not each month) based on these criteria, veterinarians must only authorise whole herd dcat as part of an udder health programme to manage animal welfare in herds with a high and increasing risk of infection veterinarians’ responsibilities if prescribing whole herd dcat the threshold for authorising at a whole herd level is the same as that required for an individual animal (selective treatment) you must have sufficient contact with the herd/animal to be able to justify that authorisation (i e the authorising veterinarian must have visited the herd at least once in the previous six months and they must ensure the information is sufficient and that the udder health programme is current) veterinarians must review the infection status in a herd and be able to justify their decision to authorise whole herd dcat based on technote 14 table 3 above exceptions where the specific criteria in table 3 are not met, veterinarians may exercise professional judgment to authorise whole herd dcat in exceptional circumstances where they can demonstrate that treatment is necessary to protect animal welfare or address significant herd health risks any decision to authorise whole herd dcat based on professional judgment must be justifiable with documented evidence of the clinical reasoning, risk assessment, and exceptional circumstances that require departure from standard selective treatment protocols the clinical reasoning, risk assessment, and exceptional circumstances must be recorded in an exception form (the exception form provided by the dcv is considered an acceptable standard and the records must be available for review to ensure transparency and professional accountability https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#appendix 2 supporting framework for professional j if a veterinarian authorises whole herd dcat, they must also ensure an udder health improvement programme https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes is provided and implemented this should be based on the vet council’s guideline udder health programmes and information requirements for authorisation of antimicrobial dry cow therapy https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#appendix 1 udder health programmes and information the udder health improvement programmeshould include the determination of the aetiology of intramammary infections (i e culture and sensitivities), and milking time visits to identify mastitis risk factors the aim should be to reduce the prevalence and incidence of intramammary infections and hence bmscc to transition the herd to selective treatment, i e whole herd dcat must not be used as a substitute for other mastitis control measures further information information on current best practice for udder health management is available via the https //www dairynz co nz/animal/cow health/mastitis/ appendix 1 udder health programmes and information requirements for authorisation of antimicrobial dry cow therapy to meet the conditions of consultation to authorise dry cow antimicrobial therapy (dcat) and provide an udder health improvement programme for a client, the following is the minimum requirement for 'sufficient information' a it must be demonstrated that the authorisation of dcat is part of an ongoing mastitis control programme the definition of 'ongoing' is acceptance for, and provision of, the continuing care and active monitoring of mastitis in the herd b an understanding of the epidemiology of sub clinical and clinical mastitis must be demonstrable interpretation should be based on and include information about clinical mastitis somatic cell counts milking management cow and herd level mastitis control strategies implemented ( nb definition of 'epidemiology' the study of disease in the population, defining its incidence and prevalence, examining the role of external influences such as infection, diet or toxic substances and examining appropriate preventative or curative measures) c the veterinarian must be familiar with the animals and their environment through direct physical examination in the current lactation d supporting information adequate history for a milk quality consultation and the development of an udder health improvement programme would normally include the following information documented in the clinical record, where appropriate bulk milk somatic cell count data for the previous and current lactation individual cow somatic cell counts (i e herd test records) for the current and previous lactation bacteriology from clinical and sub clinical mastitis cases clinical mastitis incidence at key stages calving (defined as calving to one week post calving); lactation to dry off; dry period milking technique and hygiene assessed at a milking time assessment mastitis prevention measures e g teat spraying teat skin and teat end scores environmental mastitis risk assessment pre calving heifer management programme dry cow therapy records dry off management strategy, including the management of milk yields immediately prior to dry off culling history for mastitis over the last three years staff training and competence nutritional status and feeding strategy around dry‑off the nutritional status and feeding strategy of cows around dry‑off significantly influence udder involution, mastitis risk, dcat efficacy, animal welfare, and the achievement of target body condition scores (bcs) for calving therefore, nutritional assessment https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes is required as part of the “sufficient information” needed before authorising dcat during this process, the veterinarian will document bcs assessments and projected bcs trajectory late‑lactation feeding plan pre‑dry‑off milk‑yield reduction strategy post‑dry‑off maintenance feeding plan dry‑period and transition‑period feeding plans identified nutritional risk factors (e g feed deficits, over‑conditioned cows, high milk yield) mitigation strategies and recommendations from this data, the veterinarian needs to provide a treatment plan that will include which products (i e antimicrobial and/or internal teat sealant) to use for individual animals at the end of lactation considerations include (i) cure rate of existing infection; or (ii) prevention of new infection during the dry period and at calving; or (iii) both (i) and (ii) which cows are eligible for dry cow antimicrobial therapy based on smartsamm technote14 (i) maximum scc from any individual herd test scc across lactation that exceeds the smartsamm technote 14 cut points (ii) history of clinical mastitis in the current lactation (iii) other cow specific risk factors that may include milk yield > 15 l/cow/day and > 4 years of age at the latest herd test, poor udder conformation or teat damage, palpation of scar tissue in quarter etc which cows to cull ( https //www dairynz co nz/media/043oalxa/smartsamm technote 15 cull persistently infected cows 2012 pdf ) based on non response to therapy (either repeated clinical cases (e g >2 times in the current lactation) or previous season’s requirement for dcat (e g >200,000 cells/ml in the previous and current lactation)) what mastitis prevention and control measures need to be implemented, including management factors, additional monitoring such as teat scoring, teat spray coverage etc (i e an udder health improvement programme) this information will allow the veterinarian to provide an ongoing udder health programme including a advice and training on i correct administration of dcat and its ii management of the drying off process (feeding, milking frequency, paddock selection; ( https //www dairynz co nz/media/rpkh3udk/smartsamm technote 16 dry off abruptly taking steps to reduce yield 2012 pdf ) iii handling of clinical mastitis during the dry period iv management of cow prior to calving v management of cow post calving b advice on selection of antibiotic and nsaid treatment of clinical mastitis c advice on the reason for current mastitis status, e g is the problem due to environmental mastitis, poor dry cow management, a faulty milking machine and/or milking management, or some other factor? d an action plan to help the farmer manage their mastitis situation in the future e perform a mastitis investigation including a milking time assessment, e g using the dairynz mastitis investigation kit https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes f guidelines for the farmers on the economics of their course of action appendix 2 supporting framework for professional judgment decisions in exceptional circumstances required documentation elements when authorising whole herd dcat based on professional judgment beyond technote 14 table 3 criteria, veterinarians must document the following in the whole herd dcat exception form 1\ clinical justification detailed description of the exceptional circumstances evidence of immediate or significant animal welfare risk assessment of why selective dcat is inadequate for the specific situation analysis of potential consequences if whole herd dcat is not implemented 2\ risk assessment documentation current herd health status and trends environmental or management factors contributing to the decision assessment of infection pressure and transmission risk evaluation of the alternative management strategies considered 3\ professional reasoning reference to relevant clinical evidence or guidelines supporting the decision consultation with colleagues or specialists (if applicable) consideration of antimicrobial stewardship principles timeline for reassessment and transition back to selective treatment 4\ monitoring and review plan specific parameters to be monitored during and after treatment timeline for evaluating treatment effectiveness plan for implementing udder health improvements schedule for reassessing the need for continued whole herd approach examples of justifiable exceptional circumstances based on the accompanying guidance document, examples may include emerging pathogen outbreaks detection of highly contagious pathogens (e g streptococcus agalactiae) acute welfare crises outbreaks of gangrenous or "black" mastitis approaching dry off acute environmental risks catastrophic or prolonged weather events infrastructure failure creating immediate infection risk environmental conditions that cannot be immediately mitigated professional accountability measures peer review process decisions based on professional judgment should be reviewable by veterinary peers (e g a panel of senior dairy cattle veterinarians) the vet council may request case documentation for quality assurance purposes professional development opportunities may be recommended based on challenging cases continuing professional development veterinarians making frequent professional judgment exceptions should, and may be requested to, undertake additional training updates on antimicrobial stewardship and mastitis management case study discussions within professional networks undertake training to become an nmac (national mastitis advisory committee) accredited mastitis advisor https //hub vetcouncil org nz/statement authorisation of dry cow therapy#linksnotes quality assurance regular review of professional judgment decisions by the vet council identification of trends requiring guidance updates feedback to profession on appropriate use of professional judgment implementation guidelines decision making process 1 first assessment evaluate against technote 14 table 3 criteria 2 exception consideration if the criteria are not met, assess exceptional circumstances 3 risk benefit analysis document your comprehensive evaluation 4 professional consultation consider seeking input from colleagues for complex cases 5 decision documentation record your full justification and monitoring plan 6 implementation proceed with clear monitoring and review schedule record keeping requirements detailed clinical records including an exception report with full justification evidence supporting the exceptional circumstances monitoring data and outcomes review dates and reassessment plans communication with farm management regarding expectations review and feedback mechanism annual review of professional judgment cases by the vet council compilation of case studies for profession wide learning updates to guidance based on emerging patterns or issues continuous improvement of decision making frameworks communication with farm management regarding expectations review and feedback mechanism annual review of professional judgment cases by the vet council compilation of case studies for profession wide learning updates to guidance based on emerging patterns or issues continuous improvement of decision making frameworks links/notes acvm notice requirements for authorising veterinarians docid\ h lauut6krscm2qcooknt appendix 1 udder health programmes and information requirements for authorisation of antimicrobial dry cow therapy https //www dairynz co nz/media/rtpkgfos/dairynz technote 14 dry cow strategy pdf technote 14 section 14 4 plan to use appropriate treatment and prevention for all cows in the herd https //hub vetcouncil org nz/authorising restricted veterinary medicines for dispensing and use by non veterinarian staff whole herd dcat is also known as blanket dcat dairynz https //www dairynz co nz/resources/?spotlight=7132 and https //www dairynz co nz/resources/?spotlight=7134 provides the current industry best practice guidance for dry off https //www dairynz co nz/resources/tools/mastitis investigation kit/ https //www dairynz co nz/animal/mastitis/mastitis advisors/