(1548) Clinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows

Overview of Clinical Mastitis

• Clinical mastitis is a bacterial infection of the udder affecting dairy cows.

• Occurs when bacterial exposure exceeds the cow's immune defense capacity.

Types of Mastitis

Subclinical Mastitis

• Milk appears normal, but excessive inflammatory cells present.

Clinical Mastitis

• Abnormal milk observed due to immune response and infection.

• Important to detect as milk from infected glands cannot be sold for consumption.

• Affects 16% to 40% of cows in a lactation period.

Bacterial Pathogens Involved

• 25% to 30% of cases show no detectable bacteria, indicating a successful immune response.

• 30% to 35% of cases caused by gram-negative bacteria (e.g., E. coli, Klebsiella).

• 25% to 40% caused by gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus).

Severity Scoring of Mastitis

• Severity Score 1: Only milk is abnormal.

• Severity Score 2: Abnormal milk and swollen/red gland.

• Severity Score 3: Abnormal milk, swollen gland, and systemic signs (fever, anorexia).

• Approximately 15% of clinical mastitis cases are severity score 3.

Importance of Regular Monitoring

• Effective management requires a system for early detection.

• Uniform definition of clinical mastitis among farm staff is crucial.

• Observing foremilk before milking is a key detection method.

• Only 60% of farms surveyed used this practice.

Health Records Management

• Maintain permanent health records for each cow, including:

  • Identification

  • Disease occurrence with severity scores

  • Treatments administered

  • Milk discard periods (abnormal milk and treatment residues)

• Regular reviews involving veterinarians enhance preventive care.

Key Takeaways

• Clinical mastitis is common in dairy cattle; a thorough detection and management system is essential.

• Early detection involves observing foremilk during milking to catch mild cases.

• Identifying the specific bacteria causing mastitis is critical for appropriate treatment.