Comparison of Marbofloxacin and Tylosin for treatment of goats affected with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

Abstract

Caprine respiratory mycoplasmosis is a major problem in India. Various mycoplasma species cause pneumonia and respiratory problems, thus inflicting huge economic losses in the small ruminant production sector. Though multiple species cause respiratory mycoplasmosis, data regarding species prevalence is deficient in India. The present study was conducted to study the prevalence of respiratory mycoplasmosis caused by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in goats using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 98 nasal swabs were collected, out of which 44 samples were positive for M. ovipneumoniae. A total of 26 animals with explicit clinical signs were selected for comparing the therapeutic efficacy of marbofloxacin and tylosin and were randomly divided into two groups consisting of 13 animals each. Group 1 was treated with marbofloxacin @ 2mg/kg body weight, intramuscularly for 5 days. Group 2 was treated with tylosin @ 10mg/kg body weight, intramuscularly for 5 days. Complete bacteriological recovery rate in group 1 and group 2 was observed as 69.2 per cent and 84.6 per cent respectively by day 11 of treatment. Statistical analysis revealed that marbofloxacin was as effective as tylosin against respiratory mycoplasmosis in goats.