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Infectious bovine mastitis caused by environmental organisms
E O Costa1, A R Ribeiro, E T Watanabe
1Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Faculdade de Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Summary
Environmental mastitis in dairy cows is often caused by Prototheca algae and Streptococcus uberis. Occurrence increases in hot, wet weather, unaffected by herd size or common management practices.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Environmental mastitis poses a significant challenge to dairy herd health and productivity.
- Identifying causative pathogens and contributing factors is crucial for effective management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of environmental mastitis in dairy herds.
- To identify the primary environmental pathogens responsible for mastitis.
- To evaluate the influence of season, housing, and management on mastitis occurrence.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive study involving 20,310 quarters from 5,216 dairy animals across 52 herds.
- Aseptic milk sample collection from mammary glands testing positive via field tests.
- Laboratory examination to identify and quantify environmental pathogens.
Main Results:
- A total of 736 environmental infections were identified.
- The most prevalent pathogens were Prototheca sp. (41.2%), Streptococcus uberis (21.1%), fungi (19.5%), Enterobacteriaceae (8.3%), and Nocardia sp. (6.6%).
- Mastitis occurrence was not significantly influenced by herd size, dry cow therapy, or post-milking teat dipping.
Conclusions:
- Prototheca sp. and Streptococcus uberis are key environmental mastitis pathogens in dairy cattle.
- A seasonal influence was observed, with increased occurrence during hot and wet months (September-February).
- Current management practices like teat dipping and dry cow therapy did not show a significant impact on environmental mastitis rates in this study.