Comparison of cephalonium alone and in combination with an internal teat sealant for dry cow therapy in seasonally calving dairy cows

The effect of pre-calving injection of trace mineral supplements on periparturient disease incidence in pasture based dairy cows

Trace minerals, have a role in immune function and a trace mineral supplement (TMS) can improve animal health in dairy herds. This prospective randomised clinical study assessed whether subcutaneous injection of 5.5 mL of TMS (40 mg zinc, 10 mg manganese, 5 mg selenium, 15 mg copper per mL), 14-28 days before planned start of calving (PSC) reduced clinical mastitis (CM), subclinical mastitis (SCM) and purulent vaginal discharge (PVD). From four farms, half of 1700 cows stratified on somatic cell count, age and breed were randomly allocated to treatment or no treatment. Occurrence of CM from - 7 to PSC + 100 days, SCM at PSC + 60 days and PVD at PSC + 24 days was analysed using survival analysis and Bayesian generalised mixed multivariable models. From -7 to PSC +30 days, TMS reduced the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for CM at quarter and cow level (P < 0.001), with no evidence for an effect beyond 30 days. The adjusted OR (and 95% highest density interval, HDI) for the effect of TMS on CM from -7 to PSC +30 days was 0.40 (95% HDI, 0.26-0.63) at quarter level, 0.51 (95% HDI, 0.38-0.69) at cow level and for SCM, 0.72 (95% HDI, 0.54-0.95). The difference in CM incidence from TMS at the cow level was -2.0% (95% HDI, -3.4 to -1.1%) and -1.2% (95% HDI, -3.2 to - 0.6%) at quarter level. No clear effect was identified of TMS on cumulative incidence of PVD.

Advances in therapeutic and managemental approaches of bovine mastitis: a comprehensive review

Mastitis (intramammary inflammation) caused by infectious pathogens is still considered a devastating condition of dairy animals affecting animal welfare as well as economically incurring huge losses to the dairy industry by means of decreased production performance and increased culling rates. Bovine mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary glands/udder of bovines, caused by bacterial pathogens, in most cases. Routine diagnosis is based on clinical and subclinical forms of the disease. This underlines the significance of early and rapid identification/detection of etiological agents at the farm level, for which several diagnostic techniques have been developed. Therapeutic regimens such as antibiotics, immunotherapy, bacteriocins, bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides, probiotics, stem cell therapy, native secretory factors, nutritional, dry cow and lactation therapy, genetic selection, herbs, and nanoparticle technology-based therapy have been evaluated for their efficacy in the treatment of mastitis. Even though several strategies have been developed over the years for the purpose of managing both clinical and subclinical forms of mastitis, all of them lacked the efficacy to eliminate the associated etiological agent when used as a monotherapy. Further, research has to be directed towards the development of new therapeutic agents/techniques that can both replace conventional techniques and also solve the problem of emerging antibiotic resistance. The objective of the present review is to describe the etiological agents, pathogenesis, and diagnosis in brief along with an extensive discussion on the advances in the treatment and management of mastitis, which would help safeguard the health of dairy animals.

A single prolonged milking interval of 24h compromises the well-being and health of dairy Holstein cows

Cows are often shown at dairy shows with overfilled udders to achieve a better show placing. However, it is unclear to what degree "over-bagging" affects the health and well-being of show cows. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a single prolonged milking interval (PMI) of 24h on the measurable signs of health and well-being in dairy cows in early and mid-lactation and to assess the effect of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) on well-being during a PMI. Fifteen Holstein cows were studied in early lactation (89.5±2.7d in milk) and were given an NSAID or physiological saline in a crossover design. Ten cows were studied again in mid-lactation (151.6±4.0d in milk). Data on clinical signs of cows' health, behavior, and well-being were collected at 1 or 2h intervals before and during a PMI of 24h. Data from the last 6h of a 12h milking interval were compared with the last 6h of the PMI. Compared with that of a cow in the last 6h of a 12-h milking interval, the behavior of cows in early lactation (saline group) changed during the last 6h of the PMI: we observed decreased eating time (22.4 vs. 16.2min/h), increased ruminating time (13.3 vs. 25.0min/h), and increased hind limb abduction while walking (score 41.7 vs. 62.6) and standing (31.2 vs. 38.9cm). Udder firmness was increased (2.9 vs. 4.5kg) during this period and more weight was placed on the hind limbs (46.4 vs. 47.0%). We also found pathological signs at the end of the PMI: all cows showed milk leaking, and 10 of 15 cows developed edema in the subcutaneous udder tissue. Somatic cell count was significantly increased from 12h to 72h after the PMI. Administration of an NSAID had no influence on measured variables, except that the occurrence of edema was not significantly increased during PMI in the flunixin group (10 of 15 and 6 of 15 cows for the saline and flunixin groups, respectively). In the cows in mid-lactation, different variables were not significantly changed in the PMI compared with baseline values (e.g., eating and ruminating time, occurrence of edema, and abduction). We conclude that the cows' health and well-being were compromised by a single PMI of 24h, because their behavior changed and pathological signs were recorded. Administration of an NSAID had a slight effect on cows' well-being during a PMI. The stage of lactation had more effect on the cows' health and well-being, because fewer variables were changed in mid-lactation.