Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Antibiogram of Bacteria Isolated from Milk of Goats with Subclinical Mastitis in Thika East Subcounty, Kenya.

Precious Mahlangu,John Kagira,Naomi Maina

doi:10.1155/2018/3801479

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors of subclinical mastitis in dairy goats in Thika East Subcounty, Kenya. Further the bacterial pathogens and their antibiogram were investigated. Farm level data on risk factors were obtained from 41 farmers using questionnaires. Milk was obtained from 110 lactating dairy goats and tested for submastitis using California Mastitis Test (CMT). The prevalence of subclinical mastitis at goat level was estimated to be at 50.9% using CMT, out of which 86.5% yielded bacteria on culture. The significant risk factors associated with the occurrence of subclinical mastitis were cleaning schedule (p=0.022, OD=1.047) and parity of the goat (p=0048, OD=1.37). Higher prevalence of subclinical mastitis was observed for goats residing in houses cleaned at least once a fortnight. Does in the first parity were least affected. 169 bacterial isolates were obtained from culture, of which 52 isolates from major classes of isolated bacteria were tested for antibiotic sensitivity to six antibiotics. Fourteen different bacteria were isolated and identified from the milk samples. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (20.7%), Serratia spp. (19.5%), Citrobacter spp. (16%), Klebsiella spp. (11%), Staphylococcus aureus (10.7%), Enterobacter spp. (6.5%), Escherichia coli (5.9%), Proteus spp. (3%), Corynebacterium spp. (1.8%), Morganella spp. (1.8%), Streptococcus spp. (1.2%), Providencia spp. (0.6%), Micrococcus spp. (0.6%), and Staphylococcus intermedius (0.6%) were isolated and identified from the samples. All the isolates were resistant to Penicillin G, while 98% of the isolates were sensitive to Streptomycin. In conclusion, the study showed that a large proportion of goats were affected by subclinical mastitis, with the main bacteria being Staphylococci spp. and coliforms, and that most of the tested antibiotics can be used in the treatment of mastitis. Farmers need to be trained on improved control of mastitis through adoption of good dairy husbandry and milking practices.

Highlights

Dairy goat farmers suffer severe economic losses due to intramammary infections [1]
Results of the current study found that most bacteria are still susceptible to antibiotics as reported by others [7, 29, 35]; they can still be used in the treatment of subclinical mastitis
The current study shows that dairy goats in Thika East Subcounty of Kenya had high prevalence of subclinical mastitis

Summary

Introduction

Dairy goat farmers suffer severe economic losses due to intramammary infections [1]. The losses due to mastitis emanate from poor milk quality, reduced milk yield, increased expenditure on treatment, milk discard after treatment, and sometimes death due to the disease itself or through culling of affected livestock [2,3,4]. Any factor that adversely affects the quantity and quality of milk from the goat is of great economic interest [6]. In recent years dairy goat farming has gained interest in central parts of Kenya, challenges such as occurrence of mastitis limit its adoption. Diseases such as mastitis have been shown to hinder the growth of dairy goat production systems [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion