History
The first whole UK approach to controlling mastitis began in the 1960s. Research done by the National Institute for Research in Dairying at the University of Reading resulted in the 5 point plan, which was aimed at the control of contagious mastitis spread between cows during milking.
Uptake of the plan by dairy farmers all over the country resulted in huge progress in the control of clinical and subclinical mastitis, especially in the control of contagious mastitis. Incidence rates across the country fell from more than 150 cases per 100 cows per year in some herds to 40 cases per 100 cows per year between 1967 and 1982. National average bulk milk somatic cell counts also dropped from over 600,000 cells/ml to 400,000 cells/ml.
Since then, several small studies have been done to determine the national rates of clinical mastitis. The rates of clinical mastitis were not much different from 15-20 years earlier; however, the pathogens that were causing mastitis were significantly different.
There had been a step away from contagious pathogens, which are adapted to survive in the cow’s udder, to environmental pathogens, which are adapted to survive in the environment. This increased awareness and importance of environmental pathogens caused Defra to add a 6th point to the previously decided 5 point plan: control of the cow’s environment.
Unfortunately, this plan did not go into detail as to how the environment could be managed more effectively and did not appreciate the complexities of managing environmental mastitis.
More recent work carried out in 2004 – 2005 showed a higher incidence of clinical mastitis in UK herds than was previously thought, with some farms reporting over 100 cases per 100 cows per year. The bacteria present in these herds were mainly Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli accounting for 23.5% and 19.8% of cases, respectively, again confirming a shift towards environmental causes.
This demonstrated the need for a structured plan that considered all the risk factors in controlling mastitis to be developed
The milk producers’ levy board MDC (later re-branded as DairyCo) funded research to develop the (DairyCo) Mastitis Control Plan in 2004 on herds with an increased incidence of clinical mastitis. Initial results proved that a structured approach to mastitis control, such as the DairyCo Mastitis Control Plan, could have a big impact on clinical mastitis incidence on farm.
The plan was rolled out nationally in 2009, through specialised training of Veterinary Surgeons and agricultural consultants, as “Plan Deliverers”. By 2013, it was estimated that between 2000 and 2500 herds had completed a full plan or a component of the DairyCo Mastitis Control Plan, guided by a Plan Deliverer. By the end of 2013 a total of 262 Vets and 49 Consultants had been trained as Plan Deliverers. Following its amalgamation into AHDB, the milk producers’ levy board continued to support the Mastitis Control Plan.
In 2018, the amount of direct funding from AHDB for the Mastitis Control Plan was reduced, and the scheme moved to a subscription based model, with Plan Deliverers paying an annual membership fee. Membership benefits include CPD, support from the research team who work on further developments of the science behind the principles of the Plan, and official registration as a Plan Deliverer. By the end of 2017, a total of 306 vets and 52 consultants had been trained. Of these, 106 vets and 12 consultants subscribed to the Mastitis Control Plan and therefore were recognised as active Plan Deliverers in 2018. As reported by the GB Cattle Health and Welfare Group here, at a meeting in 2018, a large group of dairy industry stakeholders gave a self-expressed consensus that the Mastitis Control Plan was considered the “Gold Standard” approach to mastitis control. The concept of an accessible “entry-level” mastitis monitoring and control initiative was put forward by the same group, and this was launched by AHDB as QuarterPRO in January 2020.
AHDB funding for the Mastitis Control Plan ended in January 2023, although the scheme is still endorsed and signposted by AHDB.
New Plan Deliverers continue to be trained. Courses are advertised here.
By the end of 2025 a total of 457 Vets and 65 Consultants had been trained. The number of subscribing Plan Deliverers has remained relatively constant over the period 2022 to 2025, with around 90 fully trained and subscribing Plan Deliverers each year, who are qualified and registered to prepare Plans for farmers, view them on the map.