Bacteriological investigations of clinical mastitis in heifers in Sweden

Bacterial analyses were carried out of 2069 udder secretions, isolated from 1481 heifers with mastitis in eight veterinary districts in Sweden. Streptococci, e.g. Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Str. uberis, dominated the bacterial flora, being isolated from 34.4 and 19.5% respectively of heifers with clinical mastitis occurring from puberty up to 14 d post partum. Bacterial species generally regarded as important pathogens in the summer mastitis complex, e.g. Actinomyces pyogenes, Stuart-Schwan coccus and strictly anaerobic bacteria such as Peptostreptococcus indolicus, Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus were isolated at low frequencies (13.2, 6.3, 9.4, 3.8 and 1.3% respectively). When the cases of mastitis studied were restricted to those appearing in heifers pre partum, May 15 to October 14 (summer mastitis), these bacterial species were isolated at higher percentages (27.1, 14.4, 21.4, 13.5 and 5.2% respectively). These figures were, nevertheless, still lower than those published in reports from other countries. Whether considered up to 14 d post partum or only pre partum, there were no significant differences in the frequencies of A. pyogenes isolated at different seasons. There were geographical differences in bacterial incidence, e.g. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated significantly more often in northern regions whereas Str. dysgalactiae was more common in the south. This and other Swedish investigations support the theory that A. pyogenes and strictly anaerobic bacteria are 'secondary invaders' that depend on Str. dysgalactiae to cause a primary infection. It is stressed that the udders of all heifers should be examined daily so that cases of mastitis can be treated immediately.