Kandeel SA, Morin DE, Calloway CD, Constable PD. Association of California Mastitis Test Scores with Intramammary Infection Status in Lactating Dairy Cows Admitted to a Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
J Vet Intern Med 2017;
32:497-505. [PMID:
29222843 PMCID:
PMC5787198 DOI:
10.1111/jvim.14876]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Subclinical mastitis is of concern in veterinary hospitals because contagious mastitis pathogens might be unknowingly transmitted to susceptible cows and then back to their farm of origin.
Objectives
To evaluate the California mastitis test (CMT) as an indicator of intramammary infection (IMI) in lactating dairy cows admitted to a veterinary hospital.
Animals
A total of 139 admissions of 128 lactating dairy cows admitted to the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital over a 2‐year period.
Methods
A retrospective study with a convenience sample was conducted. Medical records of cows with CMT results and milk culture results for the day of admission were reviewed. Breed, age, season, maximum CMT score for the 4 quarters, maximum CMT score difference, and clinical diagnosis were evaluated as predictors of IMI by the chi‐square test and stepwise logistic regression.
Results
An IMI was identified in 51% of quarters. For cows admitted without evidence of clinical mastitis, the sensitivity of a CMT score ≥trace in predicting an IMI on a quarter or cow basis was 0.45 and 0.68, respectively. The distributions of maximal quarter CMT score and the maximum difference in quarter CMT score for cows without evidence of clinical mastitis did not differ (P = 0.28, P = 0.84, respectively) for cows with and without IMI. Stepwise logistic regression did not identify significant predictors of IMI in cows without clinical mastitis.
Conclusions
Lactating dairy cattle admitted to a veterinary hospital should be managed as if they have an IMI, even in the absence of clinical mastitis.
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