The Effects of Early Antibiotic Treatment Following Diagnosis of Mastitis Detected by a Change in the Electrical Conductivity of Milk

• Published in: Journal of dairy science Vol. 80; no. 5; pp. 859 - 863
• Main Authors: Milner, P., Page, K.L., Hillerton, J.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Savoy, IL Elsevier Inc 01.05.1997; Am Dairy Sci Assoc; American Dairy Science Association
• Subjects: Animal productions; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; ANTIBIOTICOS; ANTIBIOTIQUE; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Cell Count; CONDUCTIVIDAD ELECTRICA; CONDUCTIVITE ELECTRIQUE; CONTEO DE CELULAS SOMATICAS; DIAGNOSTIC; DIAGNOSTICO; Electric Conductivity; EXPERIMENTACION IN VIVO; EXPERIMENTATION IN VIVO; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GLANDE MAMMAIRE; GLANDULAS MAMARIAS; INFECCION EXPERIMENTAL; INFECTION EXPERIMENTALE; INJECTION; intramammary treatment; INYECCION; Lactation; LAIT; LECHE; MAMMITE BOVINE; MASTITIS BOVINA; Mastitis, Bovine - diagnosis; Mastitis, Bovine - drug therapy; Mastitis, Bovine - physiopathology; Milk - cytology; Milk - physiology; NUMERATION CELLULAIRE SOMATIQUE; RENDEMENT LAITIER; RENDIMIENTO LECHERO; somatic cell count; Staphylococcal Infections - drug therapy; STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS; Streptococcal Infections - drug therapy; STREPTOCOCCUS UBERIS; TERAPEUTICA MEDICAMENTOSA; Terrestrial animal productions; THERAPEUTIQUE MEDICAMENTEUSE; VACAS LECHERAS; VACHE LAITIERE; Vertebrates; Streptococcus uberis; intramammary treatment; Staphylococcus aureus; somatic cell count; Mastitis; Farming animal; Electrical conductivity; Bovine; Treatment efficiency; Dairy cattle; Veterinary medicine; Infection; Mammary gland diseases; Vertebrata; Antibiotic; Mammalia; Correlation analysis; Bacteriosis; Cow milk; Artiodactyla; Diagnosis; Antibacterial agent; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(97)76008-9

Mastitis was induced experimentally by infusion of Streptococcus uberis or Staphylococcus aureus into the mammary glands of lactating dairy cows. Clinical mastitis was identified when clots appeared in foremilk (conventional diagnosis) or was predicted by changes in the electrical conductivity of foremilk (early diagnosis). The responses to intramammary antibiotic treatment that was initiated after early diagnosis of mastitis and after conventional diagnosis were compared. Early treatment significantly limited the severity of the disease and, in many cases, prevented the appearance of any visible signs of infection. Milk yield was less depressed, and the somatic cell count (SCC) was lower, when treatment was initiated earlier. The SCC of the quarter at the time mastitis was predicted was approximately 2 × 106 cells/ml for both pathogens, which was significantly less than when clots appeared at conventional diagnosis, approximately 4 × 106 and 12 × 106 cells/ml for Staph. aureus and Strep. uberis, respectively. The time required for SCC to recover to <4 × 105 cells/ml was significantly less, approximately half, for both pathogens following early detection and early initiation of treatment. When treatment was administered in response to early detection, the bacteriological and clinical cure was almost complete, and the amount of antibiotic used was ≤50% less. Obvious benefits for milk yield and quality and the health of the cow would result when changes in the electrical conductivity of milk are used to predict clinical mastitis and when treatment is initiated early.