Evaluation of a 3% surf solution (surf field mastitis test) for the diagnosis of subclinical bovine and bubaline mastitis

Purpose  

To evaluate a 3% solution of household detergent viz., Surf Excel (Surf field mastitis test, SFMT) vis-à-vis California mastitis test (CMT), Whiteside test (WST), somatic cell counts (SCC; cut off limit = 5 × 10⁵ cells per millilitre) and bacteriological cultures for the detection of subclinical mastitis in quarter foremilk samples (n = 800) of dairy cows and buffaloes.     

Enzootic bovine leukosis: Preparation of an antigen for the agar gel immunodiffusion test and statistical comparison with other antigens

The preparation of an antigen for the agar gel immunodiffusion test prepared by ultrafiltration of cell culture supernatant (chronically infected fetal lamb kidney cells) is described. The antigen obtained was compared by the single radial immunodiffusion test with an antigen prepared by ammonium sulfate precipitation (30%) and the commercial antigens (Pitman Moore, Seromed). The positive serum was used either undiluted or diluted 1:16 to test for the internal (P 24) and the external antigens (Gp 60) respectively.The results obtained indicated that the antigen prepared by ultrafiltration appeared to be much superior to the others, and contained Gp 60 which detects the commonly found antibodies in bovine leukosis virus-infected cattle.     

Quantitation of bovine immunoglobulins: comparison of single radial immunodiffusion, zinc sulfate turbidity, serum electrophoresis, and refractometer methods.

Laboratory methods designed to quantitate serum immunoglobulin were evaluated: single radial immunodiffusion, zinc sulfate turbidity, and serum electrophoresis. Estimation of immunoglobulin concentration in neonatle calves, using total protein measurements, was also evaluated. Single radial immunodiffusion proved useful for quantitation when either class or subclass information was needed. Zinc sulfate turbidity measurements gave accurate results for total immunoglobulin except when hemolysis was present in the sample. A correction factor for hemoglobin that will minimize errors resulting from hemolysis was presented. Serum electrophoresis was also found to be an accurate quantitation method. Large errors were encountered in attempting to estimate immunoglobulin on the basis of total protein.     

Economic effects of bovine mastitis and mastitis management: a review

Several studies have been published since 1990 on the economics of mastitis and mastitis management. However, hardly any of these studies has discussed the consistency of results with other studies. In the present paper, the economic factors associated with mastitis are explained, providing a framework for economic analysis. As a second step calculations of the costs of mastitis and the costs in relation to the benefits of mastitis management published since 1990 in peer-reviewed journals are extensively reviewed and analysed. The result shows a large variation in the calculated costs and benefits of mastitis and mastitis management between the different studies. Moreover, it is clear that important factors were ignored in some of the studies. The framework provided in this paper can provide a basis for analysis for future studies on the economics of mastitis and mastitis management.     

Mannitol agar for microbiologic diagnosis of bovine mastitis

A medium containing mannitol (mannitol agar) was developed and evaluated as a tool for the microbiologic diagnosis of bovine mastitis. Mannitol agar supported growth of all important bacterial mastitis pathogens (staphylococci, streptococci, coliforms, and pseudomonads) except Corynebacterium pyogenes. Color change around colonies in the agar permitted the differentiation of pathogenic from nonpathogenic staphylococci. Most Staphylococcus aureus strains and some Staphylococcus epidermidis strains produced yellow zones. These yellow zone-producing strains (mannitol fermenters) of staphylococci were obtained from quarters with significantly elevated (P less than 0.05) somatic cell counts (SCC) in the milk, as compared with uninfected quarters and, therefore, would be considered pathogens. Mannitol-negative strains of S epidermidis (those with red zones) were obtained from quarters with SCC similar to those of uninfected quarters. The streptococci could be divided into 2 groups on the basis of color change around the colonies: Streptococcus agalactiae, Str dysgalactiae, and group G streptococci produced red zones; Str uberis, Str bovis, and enterococci produced yellow zones. Pathogenic streptococci (Str agalactiae, Str dysgalactiae, Str uberis, and group G streptococci) were obtained from quarters with SCC significantly higher (P less than 0.01) than those of uninfected quarters. Streptococcus bovis and enterococci were obtained from quarters with SCC similar to those of uninfected quarters and were considered nonpathogenic. Pathogenic streptococci were found in much higher concentration than nonpathogenic streptococci and could be differentiated on that basis.     

Viral infections and bovine mastitis: a review

This review deals with the role of viruses in the aetiology of bovine mastitis. Bovine herpesvirus 1, bovine herpesvirus 4, foot-and-mouth disease virus, and parainfluenza 3 virus have been isolated from milk from cows with clinical mastitis. Intramammary inoculations of bovine herpesvirus 1 or parainfluenza 3 virus-induced clinical mastitis, while an intramammary inoculation of foot-and-mouth disease virus resulted in necrosis of the mammary gland. Subclinical mastitis has been induced after a simultaneous intramammary and intranasal inoculation of lactating cows with bovine herpesvirus 4. Bovine leukaemia virus has been detected in mammary tissue of cows with subclinical mastitis, but whether this virus was able to induce bovine mastitis has not been reported. Bovine herpesvirus 2, vaccinia, cowpox, pseudocowpox, vesicular stomatitis, foot-and-mouth disease viruses, and bovine papillomaviruses can play an indirect role in the aetiology of bovine mastitis. These viruses can induce teat lesions, for instance in the ductus papillaris, which result in a reduction of the natural defence mechanisms of the udder and indirectly in bovine mastitis due to bacterial pathogens. Bovine herpesvirus 1, bovine viral diarrhoea virus, bovine immunodeficiency virus, and bovine leukaemia virus infections may play an indirect role in bovine mastitis, due to their immunosuppressive properties. But, more research is warranted to underline their indirect role in bovine mastitis. We conclude that viral infections can play a direct or indirect role in the aetiology of bovine mastitis; therefore, their importance in the aetiology of bovine mastitis and their economical impact needs further attention.     

Comparison of an agar-gel immunodiffusion test with other serological methods for differentiating Brucella infected from vaccinated cattle.

An agar-gel immunodiffusion test was compared with other serological tests for detection of antibodies in the sera of 48 cattle vaccinated with Brucella abortus strain 19. Two hundred forty-two sera were tested over a 12 month period, and addition of positive reactions for each test resulted in totals of 170 for the card test, 74 for the standard tube-agglutination test, 71 for the 2-mercaptoethanol test, 64 for the dithiothreitol test and 22 for the agar-gel immunodiffusion test.     

An immunodiffusion test for detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus antibodies in bovine serum.

An immunodiffusion test (IDT) was developed for detecting bovine viral diarrhea virus antibodies in bovine serum. The antigen utilized in the IDT was prepared from bovine viral diarrhea virus-infected monolayer cultures. Results of the IDT were obtained within 48 hours and correlated with the virus-neutralization test.     

Cross-reactions of normal bovine serums to foot-and-mouth disease virus in plaque-reduction neutralization and radial immunodiffusion.

Serums from 150 cattle with no known exposure to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus were tested by both the plaque-reduction neutralization (PRN) technique and the radial immunodiffusion (RID) technique to evaluate the significance and the extent of cross-reactions in these tests. Serums from 30 cattle from each of 5 locations were tested against representative viruses of each of the 7 types of FMD virus. High levels of cross-reactions with both the RID and PRN techniques were found in serums of specific groups. Higher levels of cross-reactions were noted for Asia, SAT I, SAT II, and SAT III than for A, O, or C viruses with the PRN technique, and higher levels for SAT II and SAT III with the RID technique. The reactions for most serums appeared to be quite specific; a given serum was often reactive with only 1 or 2 viruses.     

不同治疗方法对奶牛临床型乳房炎的疗效观察

奶牛临床型乳房炎是奶牛养殖中多发性疾病,治疗手段的好坏直接影响奶产量及乳制品质量,无规范的盲目用药造成耐药病原菌(虫)株日益增多,用药失败导致牛乳的病原残留;盲目超剂量、疗程用药导致牛乳的药物(抗生素)残留,对乳及乳制品质量造成严重影响,可引起人及动物变态反应、中毒以及微生物固定菌系的形成[1-3].本试验用筛选出的具有较强抗菌作用和较小刺激性的中草药组成方剂,配合其他疗法,进行了不同治疗方法对奶牛临床型乳房炎的疗效对比试验.报告如下.