Bovine Mastitis: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Alage ATVET College Dairy Farm, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Purposive cross-sectional types of study was carried out to determine the prevalence of mastitis in lactating dairy cows, and assess the associated risk factors in Alage agricultural technical vocational and training (ATVET) college dairy farm. The study was carried out in 138 dairy cows based on data collection, regular farm visit, clinical examination, and California mastitis test (CMT). In the present study, in general the prevalence of mastitis was 94 (68.11%) and (46.37%) at cow and quarter level respectively. The prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis was (16.67% and 51.44%), subclinical (5.25% and 41.12%) at cow and quarter level respectively. In this study prevalence of mastitis was considerably correlated with breed, parity and production status (milk yield per lactation period) (A°ÂÂ‘<0.05). However, stage of lactation and age of the cow was not statistically significant in this study. Taking into consideration the different huge losses that could be incurred by both clinical and subclinical mastitis, regular checkup for the exposure of subclinical mastitis and appropriate treatment of the clinical cases should be practiced and also attention should be paid for further detailed investigation and control measure of cases.