Instant Insights: Mastitis in dairy cattle

2020 ◽  

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on mastitis in dairy cattle. The first chapter reviews the indicators of mastitis and the contagious and environmental pathogens which cause it. It then discusses how mastitis can be managed and controlled on dairy farms, including consideration of dry cow therapy and the use of antibiotics. The second chapter examines the impact of clinical and subclinical mastitis in cows on milk quality, and provides a detailed account of indicators of mastitis. It describes the impact of mastitis on milk composition and quality, addressing its effect on the protein, fat, lactose and iron content of milk. The third chapter reviews advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve resistance to mastitis. It includes sections on both conventional and new phenotypes for improving resistance to clinical mastitis and concludes with a section on increasing rates of genetic gain through genomic selection. The final chapter considers recent research on the prevalence and development of antimicrobial resistance in mastitis pathogens. It shows how consistent diagnostic protocols and recording systems, attention to medical history, appropriate choice of antibiotics and control of treatment duration can all contribute to minimizing unnecessary use of antimicrobials and promoting effective treatment of mastitis.

2008 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 3869-3879 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Wilson ◽  
Y.T. Grohn ◽  
G.J. Bennett ◽  
R.N. González ◽  
Y.H. Schukken ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey H Torres ◽  
Päivi J Rajala-Schultz ◽  
Fred J DeGraves ◽  
Kent H Hoblet

Interest in selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) has been increasing owing to concerns over development of antimicrobial resistance. Implementation of SDCT, however, requires a quick and cost-effective on-farm method for identifying cows for treatment and cows that can be left without treatment. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of clinical mastitis (CM) history and somatic cell counts (SCC) from monthly Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) records in identification of infected and uninfected cows at dry-off. A total of 647 Holstein cows were classified as uninfected or infected at dry-off based on CM history and varying number of monthly SCC records (with three different SCC cut-offs). Cows were considered uninfected based on the following criteria: (1) SCC <100 000 cells/ml and no CM during the lactation; (2) SCC <200 000 cells/ml and no CM during the lactation; (3) as criterion two, but additionally a cow was also considered uninfected if it experienced a case of CM during the first 3 months of the lactation and the SCC was <100 000 cells/ml for the rest of the lactation; (4) SCC <300 000 cells/ml and no CM during the lactation; otherwise they were considered infected. Infected and uninfected cows at dry-off were most efficiently identified using three months' SCC records with a threshold of 200 000 cells/ml for cows without CM during the lactation and a threshold of 100 000 cells/ml during the rest of lactation for cows with CM during the first 90 days in milk. Moreover, this criterion also most efficiently identified cows infected with major pathogens only at dry-off. The success of the criteria used for identifying infected and uninfected cows will, however, depend on herd characteristics, such as prevalence of infection and type of pathogens present in the herd.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazira Mammadova ◽  
İsmail Keskin

This study presented a potentially useful alternative approach to ascertain the presence of subclinical and clinical mastitis in dairy cows using support vector machine (SVM) techniques. The proposed method detected mastitis in a cross-sectional representative sample of Holstein dairy cattle milked using an automatic milking system. The study used such suspected indicators of mastitis as lactation rank, milk yield, electrical conductivity, average milking duration, and control season as input data. The output variable was somatic cell counts obtained from milk samples collected monthly throughout the 15 months of the control period. Cattle were judged to be healthy or infected based on those somatic cell counts. This study undertook a detailed scrutiny of the SVM methodology, constructing and examining a model which showed 89% sensitivity, 92% specificity, and 50% error in mastitis detection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-78
Author(s):  
F. Zigo ◽  
A. Adamová ◽  
M. Vasiľ ◽  
J. Elečko ◽  
S. Ondrašovičová ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of mastitis and its impact on the reproductive parameters in a herd of 180 dairy cows. Based on the herd records 127 cows of Slovak spotted cattle and their crosses with red Holstein were selected for study between 1—2 months after calving. The examination of the health status of the mammary glands consisted of: the clinical examination of the udder, the California mastitis test (CMT) supplemented by the collection of mixed milk samples, and the laboratory examination of bacterial pathogens causing the mastitis. In addition to the mam­mary investigation, reproduction indicators such as the length of the insemination interval, the service period, the intercalving period and the insemination index were also analyzed. The results of this study indicated: a high incidence of mastitis (41.6 %), especially latent (21.2 %), subclinical (15.7 %) and clinical (4.7 %) forms were most common in the herd. The most frequently isolated bacteria from the infected milk samples were: coagulase negative staphylococci (54.1 %), S. aureus (16.9 %), Streptococcus spp. (15.0 %), A. viridans (7.5 %) and Ent. faecalis (6.4 %). According to the available literature, the optimum values of the intercalving period were 365—400 days, the insemination interval 55—80 days, the insemination index 1.2—2 and the service period 60—110 days. In comparison, our results showed increased, unsatisfactory reproductive values in the group of dairy cows with clinical mastitis. While in healthy cows as well as in groups of cows with latent and subclinical mastitis, all of the reproductive indicators were within the optimal levels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-471
Author(s):  
Nawab Ali ◽  
◽  
Sadaf Niaz ◽  
Irfan Khattak ◽  
Naimat U. Khan ◽  
...  

Udder performance and health are important traits in dairy cattle worldwide. The present study aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the STAT5B gene in dairy cattle with milk performance and mastitis related traits. The study included 201 cows of three pure breeds (i.e. Holstein Friesian, Jersey and Achai) and two crossbred cattle at four established dairy farms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The milk samples were analysed for somatic cell count (SCC) and milk composition (i.e. fat , protein and lactose percentages). The generalized linear model was deployed for association analysis using SAS. The pool DNA sequencing showed four (three synonymous and a 3/ UTR) SNPs in STAT5B. These SNPs were further validated in all DNA samples using SNaPshot assay. The breed-wise analysis showed that most of the SNPs were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05). The association analysis revealed a significantly higher protein percentage in TT genotype and lower SCC in CC genotypes of SNP 1 (exon 2, C>T), whereas in SNP 2 (exon 16, T>C) the TT genotypes revealed significantly lower SCC and SCS compared with other genotypes (P<0.05). SNP 4 (3/ UTR, C>T) showed significantly lower SCC and frequency of clinical mastitis in the heterozygous (CT) genotype compared to the homozygous genotypes. The in silico predictions revealed changes in the RNA secondary structure for SNP 2 and SNP 3. The study suggests that STAT5B should be considered as a candidate gene, and the variants identified as useful genetic markers for improved milk composition and udder health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahmeto Abebe ◽  
Mesele Abera ◽  
Yifat Denbarga ◽  
Mishamo Suleyman ◽  
Amene Fekadu ◽  
...  

Mastitis is one of the most economically important diseases in dairy farms worldwide. It is particularly important in Ethiopia where no routine prevention and control practices are in place. This cross-sectional study was carried out between October 2017 and June 2018 to estimate the prevalence of mastitis, identify the associated risk factors and isolate bacterial causes in dairy farms located in southern Ethiopia using standard microbiological methods and questionnaire survey. A total of 686 lactating cows which were found in 122 selected dairy farms were investigated by physical examination and California mastitis test. The overall cow-level prevalence of mastitis was 54.2% (95% CI: 50.5 – 57.9%). Based on the study site, the prevalence was 55.7% in Hawassa, 54.3% in Arsi Negele, 52.6% each in Wondo Genet and Wolayta Soddo towns with no significant (p > 0.05) difference among the sites. The majority of mastitis cases were subclinical (48.1%) while the clinical mastitis was only 6.1%. Of the 122 herds tested, 109 (89.3%; 95% CI: 82.1 – 93.9%) had at least a cow positive for mastitis. The study showed that high parity number (OR = 1.6; p = 0.015), flat (OR = 4.5; p <0.001) and round (OR = 2; p <0.001) teat end shape, history of mastitis in preceding lactation (OR = 3.3; p <0.001), and slightly (OR = 3.5; p < 0.001), moderately (OR = 4.9; p < 0.001), and very dirty (OR = 9.2; p < 0.001) udder and legs were the major risk factors which are significantly associated with higher prevalence of mastitis. Based on the available media and reagents, the major bacteria isolated from subclinical mastitic milk samples were Staphylococcus spp. (57.3%), Streptococcus spp. (18.6%), E. coli (17.3%) and Bacillus spp. (7.5%) in order of their abundance. The present study revealed a high prevalence of mastitis, particularly the subclinical one, and the associated risk factors. Enhancing the awareness of dairy farmers, regular screening of cows for subclinical mastitis, proper treatment of the clinical cases, improving the hygienic condition of the cows, and culling of chronically infected cows are critically important to prevent and control bovine mastitis. Keywords: Mastitis, Prevalence, Risk factors, Southern Ethiopia


2004 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R Davis ◽  
Vicki C Farr ◽  
Colin G Prosser ◽  
Gina D Nicholas ◽  
Sally-Anne Turner ◽  
...  

A study was undertaken in cattle to evaluate changes in milk L-lactate in relation to mastitis. A healthy, rear quarter of the udder of each of ten cows in mid-lactation was infused with 1000 colony-forming units (cfu) of Streptococcus uberis following an afternoon milking. Foremilk samples were taken at each milking from control and treated quarters and antibiotic treatment was applied following the onset of clinical mastitis or after 72 h. One cow did not become infected. Six quarters showed clinical symptoms of mastitis within 24–40 h and this was associated with a more than 30-fold increase in milk L-lactate (to 3·3 mM) and an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) from 4·5×103 to 1×107 cells/ml. Three cows were subclinical, with cell counts ranging from 1·5×106 to 1×107 cells/ml. In these animals, milk lactate ranged from 0·7 to 1·5 mM in the infected quarters up to 40 h post-infection, compared with less than 0·1 mM in control quarters. Milk was examined from 137 cows in mid-lactation which were known to have mastitis. Foremilk samples were taken aseptically from control and infected quarters of cows on commercial farms. Mean milk L-lactate concentrations and SCC were 0·14±0·02 mM and 1·85±0·3×105 cells/ml, respectively, in control (bacteriologically negative) samples. However, L-lactate concentrations exceeded 2·5 mM in the presence of some types of infection, the level of the lactate response being closely related to the impact of the infection on SCC. L-Lactate concentrations were relatively elevated in milk samples taken post partum, declining from 0·8 to 0·14 mM over the first few days of lactation. In conclusion, milk L-lactate has potential as an indicator of clinical and subclinical mastitis in dairy cows.


1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 773-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. BATRA ◽  
A. J. McALLISTER

Bi-monthly California Mastitis Tests (CMT) scores and the number of cases of clinical mastitis in 758 lactations of the Holstein-based H line, 376 lactations of the Ayrshire-based A line and 409 lactations of their reciprocal crossbreds housed under intensive management were studied to examine effects of sire line, dam line and sire line by dam line interaction using mixed model methodology. The incidence of subclinical mastitis as judged by CMT score, number of cases of clinical mastitis during the lactation, proportion of cows showing clinical mastitis at least once during the lactation and the cost of drugs for the treatment of clinical mastitis were lower in the crossline cows than pureline cows. The heterosis for these traits ranged from 2.5 to 7.8%. Sire line effect was significant for CMT score, cost of drugs for clinical mastitis and most of the traits measuring clinical mastitis. Dam line effect was small and nonsignificant for most of the traits studied. Significant sire line and dam line interaction was found for number of clinical cases in right front and proportion infected in right front and left hindquarters. Pathogenic organisms were isolated from 10.4, 34.2, 56.3, 77.7, and 84.8% of the composite milk samples, showing a CMT score of negative, trace, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Staphylococcus was the most frequently isolated organism from the composite milk samples. Key words: Subclinical, clinical, mastitis, dairy cattle


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Champak Bhakat

Subclinical mastitis is the most prevalent and economically destructive disease in dairy cattle throughout the country. It is 3–40 times more common than clinical mastitis and causes the greatest overall losses in most dairy herds. It is a multi etiological complex disease which consists infectious and noninfectious agents as potential risk factors. The prevalence of subclinical mastitis in cows increases with increased milk production, unhygienic management practices and with increasing number of lactation. There are no visible changes in the udder or milk but it reduces milk production and adversely affects milk quality. Early detection of sub clinical mastitis can be done by various indirect and direct tests.


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