Abstract
Background and Aim:Dry cow therapy (DCT) can be an effective treatment of mastitis that has not responded to conventional treatment during lactation. The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of DCT options available in reducing intramammary infections in smallholder dairy farms in Kiambu County, Kenya.Materials and Methods:The study targeted smallholder dairy farms which were registered at the local dairy cooperatives and which had cows that were at the point of dry-off. A total of 32 cows with 121 quarters that were California Mastitis Test (CMT) positive were recruited, with the quarters randomly allocated to receive either DCT (DCT – neomycin sulfate, penethamate hydriodide, and procaine benzylpenicillin) and internal teat sealant (ITS) or ITS alone (bismuth nitrate) after aseptically collecting quarter milk samples for bacterial culture. Farm- and animal-level factors were captured through a questionnaire which was administered to the principal farmer or a person who was managing the animals. Post-calving, milk samples were also collected for bacterial culture to establish if the infection was cleared or if there was a new infection.Results:DCT with ITS significantly reduced the proportion of quarters infected with Staphylococcus aureus from 64.0% at dry-off to 44.0% post-calving (35% reduction). In the control group, ITS alone, there was a small reduction in proportions of S. aureus from 46.8% to 40.4%. Proportions of quarter infections by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in the treatment group reduced from 16.0% at dry-off to 2.0% post-calving, with a significant reduction in the control group too from 19.1% to 4.3%, which could be due to self-cure. Actinomyces species, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus species, and Pseudomonas species proportions slightly increased in the treatment group, as did E. coli and Pseudomonas species proportions in the control group.Conclusion:In smallholder dairy farms with subclinical mastitis, DCT of CMT-positive cows leads to a significant decrease of S. aureus infections at calving.
Highlights
Mastitis continues to be a major constraint in the dairy industry worldwide and is associated with economic losses and changes in the udder [1,2,3]
Materials and Methods: The study targeted smallholder dairy farms which were registered at the local dairy cooperatives and which had cows that were at the point of dry-off
Dry cow therapy (DCT) with internal teat sealant (ITS) significantly reduced the proportion of quarters infected with Staphylococcus aureus from 64.0% at dry-off to 44.0% post-calving (35% reduction)
Summary
Mastitis continues to be a major constraint in the dairy industry worldwide and is associated with economic losses and changes in the udder [1,2,3]. Dry cow therapy (DCT) is one of the prevention and control methods and is key in the treatment of mastitis that has not responded to conventional treatment during lactation, such as cases of Staphylococcus aureus; use of DCT is advised, especially if the case is chronic [4]. Dry cow therapy (DCT) can be an effective treatment of mastitis that has not responded to conventional treatment during lactation. The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of DCT options available in reducing intramammary infections in smallholder dairy farms in Kiambu County, Kenya
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
