Comparison of probiotic and antibiotic intramammary therapy of cattle with elevated somatic cell counts

The effects of treating subclinical mastitis with intramammary infusions of either a Lactobacillus or an antibiotic preparation on intramammary infection cure rate and on milk SCC were compared. Cows with two consecutive monthly DHIA composite SCC greater than 300,000 cells/ml (5.4771 log10/ml) were defined as high SCC cows. Twenty-six subclinical cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. Quarter foremilk samples were obtained from all quarters at d 0, 7, and 14 following infusion to determine the microbiological status and SCC. Composite milk SCC were determined monthly by DHIA and at d 0, 7, and 14 of the study. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the predominantly isolated pathogens. Treatment of cows with Lactobacillus cured 21.7% of infected quarters, whereas 73.7% of infections treated with antibiotic were eliminated. Treatment of quarters with antibiotic did not reduce quarter SCC unless infected quarters were cured. Intramammary infusion of quarters with Lactobacillus increased quarter SCC, mainly because of an increase in SCC of initially uninfected, low SCC quarters. Monthly composite SCC were similar between treatments. The results indicate that administering Lactobacillus or antibiotic treatment to all quarters based on elevated composite SCC should not be adopted. Lactobacillus treatment increased SCC with no effect on infection rate.