Strip affected quarter 4x/day; milk last, discard milk
Culture sample to lab today — treat to the bug, not the guess
Peppermint udder liniment 2x/day; monitor conductivity per milking
Fluids + aspirin per vet standing order (NOP-allowed)
Success odds, caught this early
~70–80%
Organic premium preserved
$3,038
Antibiotic treatment
Permanent exit from the organic herd
Intramammary antibiotic per vet. Higher single-course cure rate for an established infection — but under NOP rules Loretta can never return to organic production. She would move to the conventional string or be sold.
Organic premium lost
−$3,038
$6.32/day × ~481 productive days at 55 lbs/day
Success odds
~85–90%
LEDGER note: under NOP §205.238, a producer may not withhold medical treatment from a sick animal to preserve its organic status. If organic-approved interventions fail, treat — and record the transition. The economics above exist so you decide early, not so you decide never.
