Dynamics and significance of coagulase-negative staphylococcal intramammary infections

Cows (n = 139) were sampled within 17 d postpartum and monthly thereafter to examine dynamics of mammary infections and relationships between infection status, milk yield, SCC, NAGase activity, and chloride concentration. Forty-eight and 67% of cows and 19.5 and 30.5% of quarters were infected at first test and lactation end, respectively, with 51% of all infections present at first test. Coagulase-negative staphylococci accounted for 67 and 65% of first test and total infections with 85% persisting to lactation end. Animals with coagulase-negative staphylococci infections had significantly elevated quarter SCC and NAGase activity and a decrease of 821 kg mature equivalent lactation milk production compared with uninfected animals. Clinical cases with no bacterial isolation or major pathogen infections were associated with significant elevations in bucket and quarter milk SCC, NAGase activity, chloride concentration in quarters, and a decrease of 1153 kg mature equivalent lactation milk production as compared with uninfected animals. Correlations between milk production and in SCC and ln NAGase and between ln SCC and ln NAGase were -.15, -.25, and .55 (-.23, -.28, and .41 for first lactation only).