Antibiotic persistence and tolerance in the lactating goat following intramammary therapy

Due to the impact of the dairy quota system, the commercial use of goats for the production of milk and associated products is attractive to farmers diversifying their dairy interest. Intensification of milking and the expansion of herds will inevitably increase the incidence of caprine mastitis. The pharmaceutical industry and the veterinary surgeon will be required to provide data and advice upon the performance of currently available bovine intramammary products when used in the goat. This study produced evidence that one available bovine intramammary product, when infused into the glands of milking goats, produced a withholding time approximately double that defined for the cow. Following a course of infusions after three successive milkings, milk was not available for human consumption or for the production of cheese and yoghurt until 112 hours after the final infusion. This situation is likely to be representative of that which will occur for other currently available bovine intramammaries when prescribed in the goat.