Mastitis

Mastitis-denotes an inflamation of the udder, this disease is responsible for heavy financial losses to dairyman due to discarding of abnormal milk, reduced milk production and butter fat, decreased market value of cow and cost of drugs and veterinary services.

In addition to this, the mastitic milk causes dreadly diseases like tuberculosis, brucellosis, sore throat, food poisoning etc. in human beings.

Etiology:

A. Infectious agents:

Bacteria – Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, E. coli
Viral diseases – Cow pox, FMD
Fungus – Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus
Mycoplasm
B. Predisposing factors

Trail milk or injury to teat and udder.
High milk yield.
Incomplete or irregular milking.
Improper milking techniques.
Pendulous udder and long cylindrical teats.
Rough flooring.
Unhygienic conditions.
Transmission: It spreads through infected water, contaminated bedding, utensils, milkers hands.

Symptoms:

a) Acute form:

1. Fever
2. Loss of appetite.
3. Udder is swollen, hot and painful.
4. Milk may be yellowish or brownish,
5. Milk contains flakes or clots.

b) Chronic form:

No swelling of udder.
Udder becomes hard due to fibrosis.
Milk may show visible changes on careful examination.
Diagnosis:

1. Physical examination of udder i.e. shape, size and consultancy
2. Strip cup test – A strip cup consists of a flat black enamelled plate partitioned into four areas. The milk form all four quarters is stripped directly into cup. The presence of clots or flakes will indicate abnormality of milk.
3. California Mastitis Test (CMT) – This test requires plastic paddle with four chambers. Milk is stripped directly into chambers. The CMP reagent is added in the equal quantity. The milk and reagent is rotated by movement of the paddle and the reaction is observed immediately. Formation of greenish blue precipitate or jelly like clot indicates positive test.
4. Isolation of the organism from milk.

Treatment:

Evacuate the Under
Intramammary antibiotic therapy/infusion with Vetclox plus or Pendistrin – SH or Tilox @ I tube twice daily for 3 days.
Milk should not be used for human consumption forecast 72 hours after last infusion.
Injections of antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin, ampicillin, tetracycline or chloramphenicol IM.
Hot fomentation of udder with magnesium sulphate to relieve inflammation.

Control:
Isolation and treatment of affected animals.
Treatment of all teats of all cows at drying.
The healthy non infected cows should be milked first and known infected cow should be milked at last.
The udder of cow and hands of milker should be washed with antiseptic solution before and after milking.
The floor of the milking shed should be washed with running water.
Cows should be provided with soft bedding following parturition.
Unsterile objects should not be passed in teat.
Teat sores should not be neglected and treated at an earliest.
Regular testing of cow milk for mastitis.
Use of proper milking method i.e. full hand milking followed by stripping.
Protect teats and udder from injuries.
Maintain hygienic conditions in cattle shed.
The non-responsive quarter should be permanently dried up.
Culling of non-responsive cases.
Proper disposal of mastitis milk.