Abstract
The problem of subclinical mastitis and the associated bacteriological, cytological, and hematological changes were studied in a sheep flock consists of 28 lactating ewes. 56 milk and 28 duplicate blood samples were collected. The milk samples were tested firstly by California mastitis test (CMT) and the animal prevalence rate was 85.7% (24/28) while the udder halves prevalence rate was 67.9% (38/56). By bacteriological examination, Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS) were isolated from 37 samples (as a single pathogen from 33 samples and mixed with Staph aureus from 4 samples) with a prevalence rate 66.1%, while Staph aureus was isolated from 5 samples with a prevalence rate 8.9% (as a single pathogen from 1 sample and as mixed infection with CNS from 4 samples). The isolated bacteria were subjected to the antibiotic sensitivity test and it was found that all the CNS isolates were 100% sensitive to both Enrofloxacin and Gentamicin, while the Staph aureus isolates were sensitive to Enrofloxacin and Oxytetracycline. Somatic cell count (SCC) were estimated in these milk samples and 7 samples were found to have SCC in the range from 250x103-500x103 cells/ml and the rest of samples contain SCC level above 500x103 cells/ml. The results of hematological and serum biochemical examinations revealed that there is no significant changes in the examined parameters between infected or control groups.
Highlights
Subclinical mastitis is a worldwide problem and its economic importance attributed mainly to its higher prevalence and effect on quality and quantity of the produced milk
Bovine subclinical mastitis has been widely studied in different regions of Egypt, studying of such problem in sheep to some extent is limited so this study aims to thorough light on the prevalence and the main etiologic agents associated with subclinical mastitis in a sheep flock located in Assiut governorate, Egypt
Subclinical mastitis is the most prevalent type of mastitis characterized by no detectable changes in the udder and no visual abnormalities in milk
Summary
Subclinical mastitis is a worldwide problem and its economic importance attributed mainly to its higher prevalence and effect on quality and quantity of the produced milk. Subclinical mastitis is the most important factor affecting quality and quantity of sheep milk, and coagulase negative Staph (CNS) is the mostly isolated pathogen from sheep mammary gland (Leitner et al, 2004). Staph aureus is mostly isolated from sheep cases with clinical mastitis and the Coagulase-negative Staphylococci are the most frequently isolated pathogen from subclinical intramammary infection (Bergonier et al, 2003). Somatic cell count (SCC) considered a very helpful diagnostic tool in diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in dairy ewes (Davasaztabrizi et al, 2013). Study the relation between udder infection and level of milk SCC, determine the effective antibiotics against the isolated pathogens and study the possible hematological and biochemical changes associated with subclinical mastitis
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