Quarter- and cow-level risk factors for intramammary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci species in Swiss dairy cows

Abstract

Bacteriological status, evaluation of udder symmetry, udder hygiene, and teat end scores of 92 dairy cows were assessed on 3 Swiss dairy farms in a longitudinal 1-yr study to determine risk factors for intramammary infection (IMI) with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) species. Farm visits were performed monthly including sterile quarter milk sampling and udder evaluation of all lactating cows. Milk samples were evaluated for the presence of staphylococci using selective agar plates. Species identification was performed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Intramammary infection was defined as milk samples having ≥100 cfu per mL of milk according to culture results. Overall, 3,151 quarter samples were included in the statistical analysis. Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus xylosus, and a Staphylococcus warneri-like species were the 4 most prevalent CNS species found. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression models were built to evaluate risk factors for species-specific CNS IMI. Risk factors for Staph. chromogenes IMI were presence in herd B, the period from June 2014 to August 2014 and December 2014 to February 2015, and presence of udder edema. For Staph. haemolyticus, the relevant risk factor included coinfection with Staph. xylosus coinfection with other than the above-mentioned CNS species ("others") and the period from June 2014 to November 2014. Coinfection with Staph. haemolyticus and "others," the periods from June 2014 to August 2014 and December 2014 to February 2015, early phase of lactation (1-60 d in milk), and belonging to herd B were significantly associated with Staph. xylosus IMI. Mid and late lactation, coinfection with Staph. xylosus, and the period September 2014 to May 2015 were identified as significant risk factors for Staph. warneri-like IMI. For Staph. chromogenes, 60.6 and 26% of the variance was observed at the quarter and cow level, respectively, whereas for the other investigated species the highest variance was observed at the sample level. The predominant species within herds differed and was most pronounced for the Staph. warneri-like species.