Indicators of inflammation to evaluate the recovery from acute bovine mastitis

The recovery of 39 mastitic cows was evaluated using alpha 1-antitrypsin, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase), plasmin and somatic cell counting for monitoring the inflammatory process. Bacteriological investigation was undertaken during the acute phase and at days 21 and 50 after treatment. In the quarters with a bacteriological cure the concentrations of all inflammatory markers in the milk returned to normal within three weeks. The quarters which harboured subclinical infection at days 21 and 50 after the onset of the disease showed higher values of the inflammatory parameters than uninfected, healed quarters. NAGase was the best predictor of the bacteriological status during the healing period (three weeks after therapy). The study suggests that NAGase determination in each quarter (with interquarter evaluation) possibly in conjunction with a bacteriological investigation three weeks after therapy, would be a good combination for assessing the outcome of treatment.