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#1 disease on dairy farms
Extract from article J.W. Schroeder, Dairy Specialist..
accepted by National Mastitis council.
DEFINITION
Inflammation of milk ducts in dairy cows,sheep and goats, while lactating. Caused by micro organisms, usually bacteria, that
invade the udder, multiply and producing toxins that are harmful to the mammary Gland of the animal. It is useful to consider that 3 major factors
are involved in the disease:
The micro organisms as the causative agent
The cow as host.
And the environment, which can influence both, the cow and the micro organisms
SIGNS - What are the Signs of mastitis?
rapid pulse
loss of appetite
dehydration
depression
death may occur
Somatic cell count - SCC
Normal milk will have less than 200.000 white blood cells per milliliter.
Elevated SCC, indication of inflammation in the udder
Bulk tank SCC gives an indication of level sub-clinical mastitis and loss of milk in a dairy herd due to mastitis.
Sub-Clinical Mastitis
No visible signs. Somatic cell count ( SCC ) of the milk will be elevated. Bacteriological culturing of milk will detect bacteria in the milk. Cause of greatest financial loss to dairy farmers through lowered milk production. For every clinical case of mastitis, there will be 15 tO 40 sub-clinical cases
Clinical Mastitis
Visible signs of mastitis which include mild Signs of flakes or clots in the milk, a slight Swelling of infected quarter. Severe signs lsecretion abnormal, swollen, Hot quarters or udder, cow may have fewer rapid pulse, loss of appetite, dehydration and depression, death may occur.
Controlling Contagious Mastitis, by Robert J. Harmon, University of Kentucky, Lexington Kentucky
Staphylococcus aureus - Strep agalactiae
CONTAGIOUS PATHOGENS
by Robert J. Harmon, University of Kentucky, Lexington/Kentucky
Staphylococcus aureus and Strep agalactiae are are the common contagious mastitis pathogens. The major reservoir for these pathogens are infected udders, and infections are spread among cows or between quarters during the milking process by contaminated milking equipment , milkers hands, or cloth, and sponges used to wash or dry more than one cow. Infections tend to be chronic and sub-clinical with periodic clinical episodes. Thus contagious mastitis results in decreases in bulk tank SCC, but there may be few visible symptoms, i.e. this tends to be a hidden form of mastitis. herds with high bulk tank SCC tend to have high levels of infections by contagious pathogens.
Streptococcus dysgalactiae
Streptococcus dysgalactiae is generally characterized as an environmental pathogen, but also may have characteristics of a contagious organism and appears to spread from cow to cow.This pathogen is generally responsive to teat dipping and dry cow therapy, but new infections can occur in the herd when no other udder infections by this organism are present. Corynebacterium bovis is considered a minor pathogen.The main reservoir appears to be infected udders or teat ducts, and this organism is spread rapidly from cow to cow in the absence of adequate teat dipping. Infections by C-bovis cause only moderate inflammation with SCC exceeding those of uninfected glands by only two to threefold.
Infections are infrequently the major cause of elevated bulk tank SCC, clinical mastitis, marked compositional changes, or dramatic decreases in milk
production. Mycoplasma species are contagious pathogens that are rare in some areas but not so common in others. Mycoplasma bovis one the most common species probably causes the most severe problems. some characteristics of mycoplasma mastitis will include sudden onset and rapid spread in the herd, marked reduction in milk production and resistence to treatment,Veterisary assistance is recomm-ended for the diagnosis and control of mycoplasma mastitis, because special bacteriological culture procedures are necessary for diagnosis.
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Mastitis - Definition and cause
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