Increase In Somatic Cell Count Research Articles

Health and Thermal Comfort of Dairy Cattle in Compost-Bedded Pack Barns and Other Types of Housing: A Comparative Systematic Review

This systematic review was conducted to describe and discuss the main research findings available in the literature concerning the health and thermal comfort of dairy cattle housed in Compost-Bedded Pack Barn (CBP) systems, in comparison to Free Stall (FS), Tie-Stall (TS), and/or Loose Housing (LH) systems. Searches for peer-reviewed experimental articles in English were performed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Forty-three non-duplicated scientific articles were obtained and subjected to a four-stage evaluation process, according to the PRISMA methodology and predefined eligibility criteria. This process resulted in the selection of 13 articles for inclusion. Regarding animal health, the results provide evidence that the incidence of problems such as lameness, limb injuries, and reproductive disorders is lower in CBP systems. However, if bedding management is not effective in ensuring the provision of dry and comfortable surfaces, an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) and prevalence of mastitis incidence (PMI) may occur. For thermal comfort, it was found that the CBP system exhibited higher temperatures during summer and lower temperatures during winter when compared to FS with cross-ventilation in association with evaporative cooling. However, no differences were observed in terms of thermal comfort in spring and autumn. As this is a recent research area, caution should be exercised when extrapolating the results, considering the specificities of each cited study.

Music and Tactile Stimuli during Daily Milking Affect the Welfare and Productivity of Dairy Cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tactile stimuli and music during daily milking on the productive, physiological, well-being, and health parameters of dairy cows. The experiment, which lasted 39 days, was conducted on a commercial farm with forty crossbred cows (age: 36 to 42 months; weight: 350 to 400 kg) distributed in a completely randomized design (2 × 2) via the following treatments: (Con)—cows not exposed to stimuli, (Tac)—cows exposed to tactile stimuli before milking, (Mus)—cows exposed to music during milking, (Tac+Mus)—cows exposed to both stimuli. In this study, classical music with a slow (75 to 107 BPM) and moderate tempo (90 to 100 BPM) was played, and tactile stimuli was provided manually using a flexible stick in the posterior region and udders of the cows. Cows not exposed to any of the stimuli had up to 41% higher residual milk quantity compared to those exposed to one of or both of the stimuli. The sound stimulus promoted an increase in milk letdown before the start of milking. Cows exposed to stimuli showed higher serotonin levels, indicating a beneficial effect on animal well-being. However, cows exposed to pre-milking tactile stimuli showed an increase in somatic cell count. Combining both techniques may have positive effects on milk productivity and well-being. However, using music alone may be more recommendable as it does not pose health risks.

Neutrophils expressing major histocompatibility complex class II molecules circulate in blood and milk during mastitis and show high microbicidal activity

Bovine mastitis is mainly caused by bacterial infection and is responsible for important economic losses as well as alterations of the health and welfare of animals. The increase in somatic cell count (SCC) in milk during mastitis is mainly due to the influx of neutrophils, which have a crucial role in the elimination of pathogens. For a long time, these first-line defenders have been viewed as microbe killers, with a limited role in the orchestration of the immune response. However, their role is more complex: we recently characterized a bovine neutrophil subset expressing major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules (MHC-IIpos), usually distributed on antigen-presenting cells, as having regulatory capacities in cattle. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the implication of different neutrophils subsets in the mammary gland immunity during clinical and subclinical mastitis. Using flow cytometry, we analyzed the presence of MHC-IIpos neutrophils in blood and in milk during clinical mastitis at different time points of inflammation (n = 10 infected quarters) and during subclinical mastitis, defined as the presence of bacteria and an SCC >150,000 cells/mL (n = 27 infected quarters). Our results show, for the first time, that in blood and milk, neutrophils are a heterogeneous population and encompass at least 2 subsets distinguishable by their expression of MHC-II. In milk without mastitis, we observed higher production of reactive oxygen species and higher phagocytosis capacity of MHC-IIpos neutrophils compared with their MHC-IIneg counterparts, indicating the high bactericidal capacities of MHC-IIpos neutrophils. MHC-IIpos neutrophils are enriched in milk compared with blood during subclinical mastitis but not during clinical mastitis. Moreover, we observed a positive and highly significant correlation between MHC-IIpos neutrophils and T lymphocytes present in milk during subclinical mastitis. Our experiments involved a total of 47 cows (40 Holstein and 7 Normande cows). To conclude, our study opens the way to the discovery of new biomarkers of mastitis inflammation.

Effects of different nutrient supply on metabolism and mammary immune response to an LPS challenge in early lactation of dairy cows

Energy and nutrient deficiency in dairy cows in early lactation is considered to contribute to their increased susceptibility to mastitis. We have tested the hypothesis that feeding diets with high contents of either nitrogenic, glucogenic, or lipogenic components in early lactation affects both the endocrine and metabolic status, as well as the mammary immune competence. After calving, cows were fed increasing amounts of concentrate up to 10 kg/d rich in crude protein (nitrogenic, n = 10), glucogenic precursors (glucogenic, n = 11), or lipids (lipogenic, n = 11). In wk 3, one udder quarter was challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli. Blood and milk were sampled on the day before LPS challenge (d -1), and on d 0, 1, 2, 3, and 9 after LPS challenge. On the day of LPS challenge additional samples were taken hourly for quarter milk and every 3 h for blood. Urea concentrations were higher in plasma and milk of cows fed the nitrogenic diet. However, plasma concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, β-hydroxybutyrate, nonesterified fatty acids, as well as insulin, glucagon, and insulin-like growth factor-1 were not affected by the different diets. The mammary immune challenge induced a substantial increase of somatic cell count (SCC) in the treated quarter, and a transient decrease of total milk yield and white blood cells similar in all diet groups for one day. The absolute phagocytosis of blood leukocytes was decreased; however, the phagocytosis per cell was increased in glucogenic-fed cows at 6 h after LPS challenge. During mammary inflammation an insulin resistance, shown by increased plasma glucose, insulin, and glucagon, developed similarly in all diet groups. β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids were decreased at 1 d after LPS challenge in glucogenic-fed cows only. Cholesterol did not change, and triglycerides only decreased significantly in lipogenic-fed cows 6 h after challenge. On d 9 after LPS challenge, SCC and milk yield and metabolic factors were recovered in all groups. In conclusion, the endocrine and metabolic situation, and the immune response to intramammary LPS of dairy cows during early lactation was not substantially influenced by the elevated supply of nitrogenic, glucogenic, or lipogenic components due to the provided feed in this study.

Epidemiological investigation of mastitis in lactating buffalo cows in Nineveh governorate, Iraq

The study's objective was to investigate the incidence and predisposing factors of mastitis in lactating buffalo cows in the Nineveh governorate. A total of 160 recently calved buffalo cows were followed up in a prospective study during the first three months of lactation. Cases of clinical mastitis (CM) were investigated, and milk was sampled to identify the increase in somatic cell count (SCC) as an indicator of subclinical mastitis (SCM). Several epidemiological factors that can predispose to mastitis were also investigated. The incidence of CM was 9.4%, mostly recorded during the first ten days (4 days on average). The average CM duration per case was 35 ± 4.9 days. Different changes and clinical findings were revealed in milk and affected udder. The incidence of SCM (i.e., SCC > 200,000 per mL) was 83.75%, mostly recorded during the first month of lactation. Furthermore, the odds of SCM were high in winter. The study concluded that the incidence of CM in buffalo cows is very low. The chronic form characterizes CM, SCM is more common than CM, and winter is a predisposing factor for the infection. Examination of several control measures of mastitis is important to improve the production and hygiene of buffalo milk in Nineveh governorate.

An economic analysis of high milk somatic cell counts in dairy cattle in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Mastitis in dairy cattle can lead to significant financial losses due to a reduction in milk yield, the withdrawal period after treatment when milk cannot be sold, and an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) which can reduce the milk's per liter commercial value. Dairy cooperatives point at high-SCC problems as an important factor leading to suboptimal levels of milk quantity and quality. This study aims at describing farm characteristics and milking practices associated with high SCC, identifying risk factors, and assessing the economic loss due to high SCC in three dairy cooperatives in Chiang Mai, Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 208 dairy cattle farms from July to September 2018. Structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the degree of association between factors and high SCC. A retrospective cost assessment of high SCC was conducted to estimate the losses in affected farms, and two potential coping strategies were assessed: (1) culling and (2) treating the cow. More than 12% of farms had high SCC (SCC > 500,000 cells/ml). Inappropriate vacuum pressure and inappropriate pulsation rate of milking machines were identified as significant risk factors according to the multiple logistic regression (P < 0.01). Both factors can decrease the natural protection of teat tissue, increasing the likelihood of bacterial infection. The average economic loss of high SCC in affected farms was 557 USD for a three-month period. When comparing response strategies (i.e., treatment vs. culling), treating the affected cow was found to be more cost-effective. With a probability of successful treatment of 54%, treating an affected cow leads to 1,158.7 USD in gains over 3 years (vs. doing nothing). The results of this economic analysis can be used to advocate to cooperatives the value of veterinarians and for investigating and treating cases of mastitis.

Cumulative effect of different acute stressors on physiological and hormonal responses and milk yield in lactating Saanen goats

This study addresses the hypothesis that acute stress can cumulatively cause a decrease in milk yield in Saanen goats. In fact, dairy animals are subject to several environmental and management challenges that may cause acute stress during the same lactation. However, the cumulative effect of acute stress on milk yield remains unclear. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different acute stressors on milk yield and milk quality in goats. Thirty Saanen goats were either maintained on their usual routine and comfort conditions (control group) or subjected to different environmental stressors (heat stress, adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH] administration, hoof care, and rain). These stressful challenges were performed sequentially, one challenge per day, on four consecutive days to evaluate the influence of the challenge on milk yield and milk quality. The acute stress imposed on goats caused significant changes in respiratory rate, rectal temperature, cortisol, insulin, triiodothyronine, insulin-like growth factor 1, and glucose concentrations when compared to the control group. Although these acutestress-triggered physiological responses are fundamental to restoring homeostasis, the cumulative effects of different imposed challenges caused a change in hormone release, an increase in somatic cell count (SCC), and a decrease in milk yield. In this context, the results of this study indicate that farmers should avoid concurrently subjecting goats to management and environmental challenges that can induce acute stress because these stressors have a negative and cumulative impact on SCC and milk yield.

Cumulative effect of different acute stressors on physiological and hormonal responses and milk yield in lactating Saanen goats

This study addresses the hypothesis that acute stress can cumulatively cause a decrease in milk yield in Saanen goats. In fact, dairy animals are subject to several environmental and management challenges that may cause acute stress during the same lactation. However, the cumulative effect of acute stress on milk yield remains unclear. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different acute stressors on milk yield and milk quality in goats. Thirty Saanen goats were either maintained on their usual routine and comfort conditions (control group) or subjected to different environmental stressors (heat stress, adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH] administration, hoof care, and rain). These stressful challenges were performed sequentially, one challenge per day, on four consecutive days to evaluate the influence of the challenge on milk yield and milk quality. The acute stress imposed on goats caused significant changes in respiratory rate, rectal temperature, cortisol, insulin, triiodothyronine, insulin-like growth factor 1, and glucose concentrations when compared to the control group. Although these acutestress-triggered physiological responses are fundamental to restoring homeostasis, the cumulative effects of different imposed challenges caused a change in hormone release, an increase in somatic cell count (SCC), and a decrease in milk yield. In this context, the results of this study indicate that farmers should avoid concurrently subjecting goats to management and environmental challenges that can induce acute stress because these stressors have a negative and cumulative impact on SCC and milk yield.

Suitability of milk lactate dehydrogenase and serum albumin for pathogen-specific mastitis detection in automatic milking systems

In response to intramammary infection (IMI), blood-derived leukocytes are transferred into milk, which can be measured as an increase of somatic cell count (SCC). Additionally, pathogen-dependent IgG increases in milk following infection. The IgG transfer into milk is associated with the opening of the blood-milk barrier, which is much more pronounced during gram-negative than gram-positive IMI. Thus, milk IgG concentration may help to predict the pathogen type causing IMI. Likewise, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and serum albumin (SA) cross the blood-milk barrier with IgG if its integrity is reduced. Because exact IgG analysis is complicated and difficult to automate, LDH activity and SA concentration aid as markers to predict the IgG transfer into milk in automatic milking systems (AMS). This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that LDH and SA in milk correlate with the IgG transfer, and in combination with SCC these factors allow the differentiation between gram-positive and gram-negative IMI or even more precisely the infection-causing pathogen. Further, the expression of these parameters in foremilk before (BME) and after (AME) milk ejection was tested. In the AMS, quarter milk samples (n = 686) from 48 Holstein-Friesian cows were collected manually BME and AME, followed by an aseptic sample for bacteriological culture. Mixed models were used to (1) predict the concentration of IgG transmitted from blood into milk based on LDH and SA; (2) use principal component analysis to evaluate joint patterns of SCC (cells/mL), IgG (mg/mL), LDH (U/L), and SA (mg/mL) and use the principal component scores to compare gram-positive, gram-negative, and control IMI types and BME versus AME samples; and (3) predict gram-positive and gram-negative IMI by inclusion of combined SCC-LDH and SCC-SA as predictors in the model. Overall, the SA and LDH had similar ability to predict IgG transmission from blood into milk. Comparing the areas under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic curves, the SCC-LDH versus SCC-SA had lower gram-positive (AUC = 0.984 vs. 0.986) but similar gram-negative (AUC = 0.995 vs. 0.998) IMI prediction ability. The SCC, IgG, LDH, and SA were greater in gram-negative than in gram-positive IMI (BME and AME) in early lactation. All measured factors had higher values in milk samples taken BME than AME. In conclusion, LDH and SA could be used as replacement markers to indicate the presence of IgGtransfer from blood into milk; in combination with SCC, both SA and LDH are suitable for differentiating IMI type, and BME is better for mastitis detection in AMS.

Recovery Rates of Treated vs. Non-Treated Dairy Cows with Subclinical Mastitis

The term “spontaneous recovery” refers to a return to a previous condition without any external treatment. In cow mastitis, it refers to cases exhibiting visual symptoms (clinical) or an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) with no visual symptoms (subclinical), with or without identification of a pathogen, from which the animal recovers. A large retrospective analysis of data compiled from the Israeli Dairy Herd Book was performed to evaluate the occurrence of: (i) actual “spontaneous recovery” from the inflammation; (ii) recovery from the inflammation due to antibiotic treatment. In 2018, 123,958 cows from 650 herds with first elevation of SCC at monthly test-day milk yield were clustered into five SCC-cutoff levels (CL) (×103 cells/mL): CL1 (200–299), CL2 (300–399), CL3 (400–499), CL4 (500–999), CL5 (≥1000). Each cutoff level was analyzed separately, and each cow appeared only once in the same lactation and cutoff level, thus resulting in five independent analyses. Recovery was defined as decreased SCC on all three monthly test days, or on the second and third test days, set to: R1 (&lt;100 × 103 cells/mL); R2 (&lt;250 × 103 cells/mL). No difference was found among cutoff levels when the recovery was set to R1, with only 10–12% of the cows presenting spontaneous recovery. When the recovery was set to R2, percent spontaneous recovery was 25–27% at the three higher cutoff levels (CL3–CL5) and 35–41% at the lowest levels (CL1, CL2). Antibiotic treatment was administered to only ~10% of the cows, and in only the higher cutoff-level groups—CL4 and CL5. No difference was found between spontaneous recovery and recovery after antibiotic treatment. Moreover, percentage culled cows treated with antibiotics was significantly higher (p &lt; 0.01) than that of non-treated culled cows (18 and 10.2, respectively), suggesting that the more severe mastitis cases were treated. We concluded that (i) actual spontaneous recovery from inflammation is low and does not depend on the number of cells in the milk at time of infection, and (ii) recovery from inflammation following antibiotic treatment is not higher.

Effects of Suckling on the Udder Health of Foster Cows

In a foster cow system, one or more calves are reared by a foster cow. With regard to the growing rejection towards the early separation of cow and calf after calving, such alternative rearing methods with prolonged cow–calf contact are coming more into focus. Nevertheless, there is a lack of recent studies investigating the effects of suckling multiple calves on the udder health of a foster cow. The present study aimed to initially describe the status and development of the udder condition and the microbial colonisation during the foster period. Thereby, the objectives were to determine whether suckling multiple calves was associated with an increase in intramammary infections (IMI) and a deterioration of udder constitution. A total of 99 Holstein Friesian foster cows from a large organic dairy farm in eastern Germany were included in this pilot study. Each foster cow was suckled by 3–4 calves and not additionally milked. Quarter milk samples were taken for cytomicrobiological examination at the beginning and end of the approximately 3.5 months suckling period. At the same time, the udders of 91 of these foster cows were clinically examined by visual assessment and manual palpation. In both the first and second examination (E1 and E2, respectively), Corynebacterium ssp. and non-aureus staphylococci (NaS) constituted the most frequently detected pathogen species in the 385 examined udder quarters. Classifying the quarters into mastitis categories was significantly different between the two examinations (p = 0.001). The number of quarters considered as healthy increased from E1 to E2 by 8.5%. At the same time, the number of quarters with mastitis decreased by 2.6%, the number of quarters with non-specific mastitis by 11.4% and the number of quarters with a latent infection increased by 5.4%. In total, 69.4% of the 121 infected udder quarters in E1 were bacteriologically cured in E2. A cytological cure was achieved in 28.1% of the 385 quarters. Both the bacteriological and cytological cure rate were spontaneous. A new infection occurred in 23.1% of the 385 examined udder quarters and was mainly attributable to infections with Corynebacterium spp. and NaS. During the suckling period, mainly new infections occurred and amounted to 73% in relation to presumed persistent infections (18.9%). The new infections were mainly attributable to infections with Corynebacterium spp. and NaS. Pasteurella spp. were also found in high percentages. A total of 10.1% of the quarters showed an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) above the threshold of 100,000 cells/mL from E1 to E2, indicating a new subclinical mastitis. Regarding udder condition, significant changes during the foster period were an increase in udder skin and teat lesions, a decrease in udder oedema, an increased amount of udder quarters with a consistency considered as normal and an increase in the number of udders showing no sign of udder cleft dermatitis. Moreover, teat length, circumference, and diameter increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, there is a possibility that suckling multiple calves improves udder health in terms of mastitis but leads to an increased pathogen transmission at the same time, resulting in an increase in latent infections. Additionally, pathogens as Pasteurella spp., which are usually located in the upper respiratory system, could be detected in the mammary gland. The changes concerning the udder condition were manifold. However, it has not yet been conclusively clarified whether all these changes are exclusively due to calf suckling. Further investigations with a non-suckled control group are required.

Bacillus velezensis AP183 Inhibits Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation and Proliferation in Murine and Bovine Disease Models.

The increasing frequency of S. aureus antimicrobial resistance has spurred interest in identifying alternative therapeutants. We investigated the S. aureus-inhibitory capacity of B. velezensis strains in mouse and bovine models. Among multiple B. velezensis strains that inhibited S. aureus growth in vitro, B. velezensis AP183 provided the most potent inhibition of S. aureus proliferation and bioluminescence in a mouse cutaneous wound (P = 0.02). Histology revealed abundant Gram-positive cocci in control wounds that were reduced in B. velezensis AP183-treated tissues. Experiments were then conducted to evaluate the ability of B. velezensis AP183 to prevent S. aureus biofilm formation on a tracheostomy tube substrate. B. velezensis AP183 could form a biofilm on a tracheostomy tube inner cannula substrate, and that this biofilm was antagonistic to S. aureus colonization. B. velezensis AP183 was also observed to inhibit the growth of S. aureus isolates originated from bovine mastitis cases. To evaluate the inflammatory response of mammary tissue to intramammary inoculation with B. velezensis AP183, we used high dose and low dose inocula in dairy cows. At the high dose, a significant increase in somatic cell count (SCC) and clinical mastitis was observed at all post-inoculation time points (P < 0.01), which resolved quickly compared to S. aureus-induced mastitis; in contrast, the lower dose of B. velezensis AP183 resulted in a slight increase of SCC and no clinical mastitis. In a subsequent experiment, all mammary quarters in four cows were induced to have grade 1 clinical mastitis by intramammary inoculation of a S. aureus mastitis isolate; following mastitis induction, eight quarters were treated with B. velezensis AP183 and milk samples were collected from pretreatment and post-treatment samples for 9 days. In groups treated with B. velezensis AP183, SCC and abundance of S. aureus decreased with significant reductions in S. aureus after 3 days post-inoculation with AP183 (P = 0.04). A milk microbiome analysis revealed significant reductions in S. aureus relative abundance in the AP183-treated group by 8 days post-inoculation (P = 0.02). These data indicate that B. velezensis AP183 can inhibit S. aureus biofilm formation and its proliferation in murine and bovine disease models.

Dynamics of intramammary infections in suckler ewes during early lactation

Mastitis is an important problem in meat-producing sheep, but few studies have investigated the transmission dynamics of mastitis pathogens in these animals. The objective of this study was to describe the pathogens causing intramammary infections (IMI) in suckler ewes, their effect on somatic cell count, and the dynamics of these IMI in early lactation. We enrolled 15 sheep flocks early after lambing and selected ewes in each flock that were sampled twice with a 3-wk interval. Milk samples from both glands of each ewe were bacteriologically cultured, and somatic cell count was measured. Non-aureus Staphylococcus spp. were the most prevalent culture results. Somatic cell counts were most strongly increased in ewes infected with Mannheimia haemolytica, whereas staphylococci, including Staphylococcus aureus, were associated with a moderate increase in somatic cell count. The proportion of udder halves that remained culture-positive with Staphylococcus spp. during the 3-wk sampling interval was moderate, but M. haemolytica infections were stable during this time period. A substantial number of new infections were seen in the early lactation study period for non-aureus Staphylococcus spp., Staph. aureus, and Corynebacterium spp., but not for M. haemolytica or Streptococcus spp. The number of new IMI of Staph. aureus was associated with the number of Staph. aureus-infected udder halves in the flock at the first sampling moment, indicative of contagious transmission. Altogether, we show that substantial transmission happens in early lactation in suckler ewes, but that the dynamics differ between pathogen species. More research is needed to further describe transmission in different stages of lactation and to identify transmission routes, to develop effective interventions to control mastitis.

Season effects on the composition of milk produced by a Holstein herd managed under semi-confinement followed by compost bedded dairy barn management

Here, we studied the composition of milk produced by a Holstein herd in the municipality of Nova Boa Vista, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. The herd was first managed under a semi-confinement system and subsequently, in a compost bedded dairy barn system to facilitate animal management and, more importantly, family work. We monitored milk production by the herd under a semi-confinement system from January 2013 through September 2015, and then under a compost bedded dairy barn system from October 2015 through December 2017. The seasons of the year were spring (October to December), summer (January to March), autumn (April to June), and winter (July to September). Our results showed an increase in somatic cell count and total bacterial count with the change from semi-confinement to the compost bedded dairy barn system, possibly due to management factors; however, no changes were observed for any other of the variables under study, including lactose, fat, protein, and total solids. In addition, season markedly influenced milk composition and quality; thus, in winter and spring, milk was of a higher quality, whereas in the hotter months of summer and autumn fodder quality and availability, and the incidence of mastitis, as reflected by somatic cell count, affected milk quality negatively.

Short communication: Occurrence and persistence of Prototheca zopfii in dairy herds of Korea

Bovine mastitis caused by Prototheca has been reported globally, and its incidence is increasing in dairy herds. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Prototheca and persistence of Prototheca zopfii strains in Korean dairy herds. A total of 187 (7.5%) P. zopfii strains were isolated from 2,508 quarter milk samples collected from 50 dairy farms throughout Korea from 2015 to 2017. Prototheca zopfii was isolated from one farm among the 50 farms over the 3-yr period. The P. zopfii isolates belonged to genotype 2. Overall, Prototheca-positive quarter milk samples showed high somatic cell counts with an average value of log 6.48 ± 6.54 cells/mL. Prototheca zopfii was found to be persistent in an infected farm over a 2-yr period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence and persistence of protothecal mastitis caused by P. zopfii genotype 2 in a Korean dairy herd. This disease leads to a significant increase in somatic cell counts in milk, which persists for more than 1 yr in the affected cow udder. These results suggest that P. zopfii could pose a serious risk to dairy herds. Thus, strict surveillance for protothecal mastitis is urgently needed and sanitary conditions regarding the environment and milk collection are essential because of the lack of effective treatment options.

Persistence of heat stress eff ect in dairy cows

In order to determine the persistence of heat stress effect in dairy cows regarding the breed, parity and susceptibility to heat stress, over 1.9 million of test-day records from Holstein and Simmental cows reared in Croatia were used. The persistence of heat stress effect in the subsequent milk recordings was determined in cows that had significant decrease of daily milk yield at different THI threshold value (65, 70, 75, 80, and 85). The obtained results indicate that cows heat stressed at lower THI threshold value had higher proportional drop of daily milk yield in subsequent milk recordings. Also, primiparous and Simmentals experienced higher proportional drop when compared to multiparous and Holsteins. The negative effect of heat stress on daily milk contents that existed in all cows was more pronounced in the 2nd subsequent milk recording. The determined increase of somatic cell count in more heat stress sensitive Holsteins (THI in 65, 70, 75) indicates that Holstein cows, in terms of heat stress, also become more susceptible to mastitis. Finally, the lower was the THI threshold value, the stronger and more persistent was the heat stress effect. Considering the quite probable increase of the frequency of heat stress days, it is necessary to develop an adequate strategy for dairy farming. Aiming the accurate answer to the problem of heat stress in this region, it is necessary to conduct further research on genetic evaluation.

The effect of individual quarter dry-off in management of subclinical mastitis on udder condition and milk production in organic dairy herds: A randomized field trial

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of individual quarter dry-off in management of subclinical mastitis on clinical development, behavior during milking, and short-term production loss. The study was conducted as a controlled randomized trial in 5 commercial organic dairy herds. Seventy cows meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 treatments: individual quarter dry-off (QDO) or continued milking. The inclusion criteria constituted an increase in somatic cell count from below to above 400,000 cells/mL at milk recording and identification of a quarter scoring of at least 3 and higher than the remaining quarters at California mastitis testing (scale 1-5). Quarters were evaluated clinically for atrophy, swelling, firmness, signs of pain, and milk leakage, and rectal temperature of the cows was measured. Behavior during milking was assessed as average frequency of hind limb tripping and kicking during milking obtained by registrations on video recordings. Milk production loss was estimated based on average daily milk yield for 19 d subsequent to treatment start, with reference to average daily milk yield in 19 d before treatment. The QDO treatment was associated with quarter swelling and increased quarter firmness around d 10 from treatment start and with quarter atrophy around d 40 from treatment start. However, around d 40 from treatment start 35% of the dried-off quarters remained nonatrophic and only 6% of the quarters were completely dry. The QDO was associated with signs of pain related to the dried-off quarter. No obvious effects on behavior during milking of QDO treatment was observed. On average the production loss associated with QDO was 4.1 kg/d (95% confidence interval: 3.1-5.0) greater than for continued milking. The production loss depended on parity, days in milk, and prior yield on the quarter subjected to dry-off (Q1). The production loss increased with increasing prior yield on Q1. For the majority of cows the increase in production loss was below 1 kg of milk/d when the prior yield on Q1 increased by 1 kg of milk/d, demonstrating a compensatory production potential of the nontreated quarters. Early lactation multiparous cows showed the greatest compensatory potential. Further studies into the effect on welfare, cure rates, and transmission are needed to determine the feasibility of individual quarter dry-off.

Jugular arginine infusion relieves lipopolysaccharide-triggered inflammatory stress and improves immunity status of lactating dairy cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of jugular l-Arg infusion on performance and immune function during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation of lactating dairy cows. Eight Holstein cows (multiparous, 608.8 ± 31.5 kg) at mid-lactation were randomly assigned to 5-d jugular infusions of control (saline), Arg (3 g/h), LPS (0.033 μg/kg per h), and LPS + Arg (0.033 μg/kg per h of LPS and 3 g/h of Arg) in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 4 infusion periods separated by 10-d noninfusion periods. Jugular solutions of saline, Arg, LPS, and LPS + Arg were continuously infused using peristaltic pumps for approximately 6 h/d during infusion periods. Milk yield was measured on each day of the infusion period. Milk samples were obtained on the last 2 d of each infusion period, and blood samples were obtained on the last day of each infusion period before infusion (0 h) and at 3 and 6 h. We found that the jugular LPS infusion significantly increased serum concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and lipopolysaccharide binding protein, whereas Arg attenuated the increase in IL-6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels and tended to decrease the lipopolysaccharide binding protein level. Arginine alleviated the decrease in dry matter intake and milk fat yield and the increase of somatic cell count induced by LPS. Total casein in milk was decreased during the LPS-induced inflammation period, and jugular Arg infusion significantly increased the content of total casein. In contrast, lactalbumin in milk increased during the LPS-induced inflammation period, whereas jugular Arg infusion significantly decreased the content of lactalbumin. The concentrations of plasma Gly, Thr, Ile, Leu, Arg, Phe, and total free AA were significantly decreased by LPS treatment, but Arg attenuated this tendency. These results indicated that jugular Arg infusion (18 g/d) has protective effects on relieving inflammatory stress and improving immunity status triggered by LPS. In conclusion, Arg could attenuate inflammatory stress and improve milk performance of lactating dairy cows. This protective effect may be due to the ability of Arg to suppress LPS effects and improve immunity status.

Differential somatic cell count in milk before, during, and after lipopolysaccharide- and lipoteichoic-acid-induced mastitis in dairy cows

Intramammary infections induce the initiation of the inflammatory response, resulting in an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) in milk. The SCC includes several different types of cells but does not differentiate between them. On the contrary, the new differential somatic cell count (DSCC) parameter allows for the differentiation between 2 groups of cells: polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and lymphocytes versus macrophages. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to describe the changes of both DSCC and SCC during mastitis induced by cell wall components from typical mastitis-causing pathogens [lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Escherichia coli; lipoteichoic acid (LTA), Staphylococcus aureus] known to trigger different severities of mastitis. In addition, the effect the glucocorticoid prednisolone (PRED), which is known to attenuate the immune response in the mammary gland, was investigated. Twenty dairy cows were equally divided into 5 groups and treated with LPS, LTA, LPS+PRED, LTA+PRED, or a saline control. Milk samples were taken at the following time points: baseline (d -3, -2, and -1), right before treatment (d 0), 5 h after treatment (d 0.2), early cure phase (d 1 and 2), and late cure phase (d 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14) and analyzed for DSCC and SCC. Mean DSCC values increased significantly from <60% at baseline and right before treatment to >81% 5 h after treatment and the early cure phase in all groups, except for the groups control and LTA+PRED. This increase clearly reflects a shift in cell populations to predominantly PMN. The SCC increased significantly following the stimulation, too, as expected. Interestingly, we observed cases where SCC increased moderately only whereas DSCC showed an evident increase, meaning that the shift in cell populations occurred even at low SCC levels. The PRED clearly lowered the cell migration in group LTA+PRED. This is the first ever study investigating DSCC during induced mastitis under controlled conditions. The combination of DSCC and SCC could be employed for the earlier detection of mastitis by revealing the shift in cell population independent from the SCC level. Furthermore, combining DSCC and SCC information could help to determine the stage of mastitis because we observed high DSCC and SCC results in the early stage of mastitis but evidently lower DSCC and high SCC in the cure phase. Hence, our results offer the first fundamental insights on how mastitis monitoring could be improved in the frame of dairy herd improvement programs.

Experimentally induced subclinical mastitis: are lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid eliciting similar pain responses?

BackgroundPain accompanying mastitis has gained attention recently as a relevant welfare compromising aspect of disease. Adequate pain recognition and therapy are necessary in the context of a modern and ethically acceptable dairy care. For research purposes mastitis is often induced by intramammary infusion of immunogenic bacterial cell wall components. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Staphylococcus aureus are commonly administered to this end. While the immune response to specific immunogenic components has been well characterized, not much is known about their role on the expression of pain indicators. The aim of this study was to trial the effects of an intramammary challenge of LTA or LPS on the degree of pain and discomfort as indicated by both physiological and behavioral variables in cows. The hypothesis was that a similar degree of pain can be identified in LTA as well as in LPS induced mastitis.ResultsOn the challenge day, compared to pre-challenge, total pain index increased for all treatment groups (LPS; LTA and control), the LPS group having significantly higher values than the control group (P = 0.01). Similarly, pain visual analogue scale (VAS) increased significantly in all cows following treatment on the challenge day. Furthermore, compared to baseline, higher VAS were found 3, 4 and 5 h after the challenge in cows of the LPS group (P3h, 4h < 0.001 and P5h = 0.001) and 7 h after the challenge in cows of the LTA group (P7h = 0.002). In the control group, VAS was higher 5 h after the challenge (P5h = 0.001). On the challenge day, udder edema was higher in the LPS than in the control group (P = 0.007). Furthermore, 4 h after the challenge, milk cortisol was significantly higher than at baseline in the LPS group (P < 0.001).ConclusionsWhen administered at equipotent doses targeting a standard somatic cell count increase, intramammary LPS seems to be accompanied by a higher degree of pain and discomfort than LTA, as suggested by the modifications of the outcome variables total pain index, VAS, udder edema and milk cortisol.