Intramammary application of ozone therapy to acute clinical mastitis in dairy cows.

Abstract

The infusion of ozone into the inflamed quarter of cows with clinical mastitis was performed and the efficacy of ozone therapy was evaluated. Ozone was infused into the inflamed quarter via a teat canal using ozone gas generating equipment. Nineteen Holstein cows with acute clinical mastitis were divided into two groups: 15 cows treated with ozone therapy, and 4 cows treated with antibiotic therapy. Systemic and local clinical signs, California Mastitis Test scores, the mastitis causing pathogens, electronic conductivity of milk, and somatic cell counts in milk from ozone- and antibiotic-treated quarters, were compared between the groups. Sixty percent (9/15) of cows with acute clinical mastitis treated with ozone therapy, did not require any antibiotics for recovery. This newly developed ozone therapy method was proven to be effective, safe, and cost effective, and carries no risk of drug residues in milk.