Abstract
Contagious agalactia (CA), a disease caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae and other pathogenic mycoplasmas, is a well-known multietiological syndrome affecting dairy breeds of sheep and goats in the Mediterranean basin. The aim of this work was to study the effect on milk production and composition of mastitis caused by M. agalactiae in Valle del Belice dairy sheep. All ewes were manually milked twice daily and the milk from both daily milking was analysed for milk composition and somatic cell counts. Moreover the morning milk samples were collected aseptically from each animal for bacteriological analyses. A mixed linear model was utilised to consider milk production and composition between animals infected by CA and healthy animals. After bacteriological investigation using both cultural and molecular methods, 37 ewes were found to be infected by M. agalactiae while 50 uninfected ewes were randomly selected from the same herds to compare milk production and composition between infected and healthy animals. Statistical analyses showed that the infection with M. agalactiae had a significant effect on yield and some milk components. In particular, infected ewes showed lower milk production with lower lactose content and higher somatic cell counts. The implementation of disease control programmes based on rapid laboratory diagnosis and modern control methods is desirable for Mediterranean endemic areas.HighlightsContagious agalactia is caused by M. agalactiae and affects small ruminant dairy farms in the Mediterranean basin.Contagious agalactia is endemic in many countries and has a severe health and economic impact.Effect on milk production and composition of mastitis caused by M. agalactiae.
Highlights
In small ruminants, diseases caused by Mycoplasma generally cause a short septicaemia with secondary localisation of the pathogen in organs such as the udder, respiratory tract, joints, genital tract and conjunctiva
Statistical analyses revealed that the infection with M. agalactiae has an effect on milk yield and constituents, namely for lactose percentage (LCT) and somatic cells count (SCC)
Our results showed that infection with M. agalactiae had a significant impact on milk production
Summary
Diseases caused by Mycoplasma generally cause a short septicaemia with secondary localisation of the pathogen in organs such as the udder, respiratory tract, joints, genital tract and conjunctiva. Two diseases are prominent for their pathogenicity and socio-economic implications and for this reason are included in the OIE International Animal Code List: contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and contagious agalactia (CA). Capripneumoniae, which mainly affects goats; it is widespread in African and Asian countries but has not recently been reported in Europe. CA is caused mainly by M. agalactiae and affects small ruminant dairy farms in the Mediterranean basin; three other mycoplasmas cause a clinically similar but sporadic syndrome. CA, characterised by mastitis, arthritis and keratoconjunctivitis, was recognised in sheep and goat by Bridre and Donatien (1925) who for the first time were able to isolate and grow the causative microorganism. Since 1932 the disease has been endemic in Sicily and inactivated vaccines produced by Regional Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali IZS have been used
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