Incidence and economics of clinical mastitis in five Holstein herds in the Czech Republic

Data on clinical mastitis (CM) collected between 1996 and 2003 on five Holstein dairy farms in the Czech Republic were analyzed. Lactational incidences of CM, averaged across farms and calculated only from cows with complete lactations, were 0.35, 0.45 and 0.57 for the first, second and third plus subsequent lactations, respectively. The mean numbers of CM cases per cow and lactation were 0.63, 0.94 and 1.22, and the incidence of CM cases per cow-year at risk were 0.68, 1.00 and 1.27 for the first, second and third plus subsequent lactations, respectively. Longitudinal analysis of CM prevalence based on daily records showed the highest proportion of infected cows in the first 10 days of lactation. The within-farm incidence of CM cases per cow per year, averaged over lactations, ranged from 0.53 to 1.56 with a mean value of 0.94 in the whole data set. Direct financial losses from CM per cow per year within farm ranged from 43.63 to 84.84 euros. They included losses from discarded milk, cost for drugs, veterinary service, herdsman's time, cost for an extra milking machine and cost for antibiotic drying of cows. The economic value of CM incidence (change in direct losses per cow per year when increasing CM incidence by one case above the average value) ranged from 58.3 to 80.1 euros per CM case per cow per year with the mean value of 62.6 euros per CM case per cow per year in the total data set. Daily prevalence rate of CM was shown to be the best among various indicators of CM susceptibility, because it accounted for the censored character of the data and for repeated cases of CM within lactations. In order to reduce the incidence of clinical mastitis for dairy cattle in the Czech Republic, we recommend that it should be included as a goal in the breeding program.     

Survey of the incidence and aetiology of mastitis on dairy farms in England and Wales

A survey of clinical and subclinical mastitis was carried out on 97 dairy farms in England and Wales, selected at random from members of a national milk recording scheme. The farmers were asked to collect aseptic milk samples from five consecutive cases of clinical mastitis and from five quarters with high somatic cell counts using a defined protocol, and they completed a questionnaire that included information on the cows sampled, the herd and the history of mastitis in the herd. The samples were collected throughout the year. The mean incidence of clinical mastitis was 47 cases per 100 cows per year (estimated from historic farm records) and 71 cases per 100 cows per year (estimated from the samples collected). Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli were isolated in pure culture from 23.5 per cent and 19.8 per cent, respectively, of the clinical samples; 26.5 per cent of the clinical samples produced no growth. The most common isolates from the samples with high cell counts were coagulase-negative staphylococci (15 per cent), S uberis (14 per cent) and Corynebacterium species (10 per cent). Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-positive staphylococci together accounted for 10 per cent of the samples with high somatic cell counts; 39 per cent produced no bacterial growth.     

Assessment of prevalence of clinical babesiosis in cattle in Northern Ireland

Information on the number of clinical cases of bovine babesiosis in Northern Ireland was gathered from three sources: (a) a representative sample of farms; (b) all veterinary practices normally attending cattle; (c) the drug companies which produce babesicide. From (a) an estimate of 4520 clinical cases per year was derived, from (b) 3923 and from (c) 5600. A resultant estimate of at least 4000 cases per year was assumed to be reasonable. The mortality rate overall was 17.4 per cent but ranged from 8.8 per cent to 100 per cent on one farm. A final estimate of 12.5 per cent mortality was assumed resulting in an annual number of 500 deaths. Costs for mortality were estimated for each type of animal involved and figure of pounds 203,500 per year attributed. When the costs of treatment, assessed at pounds 31,000 per annum, unquantified production losses and increased labour costs were added an annual figure of pounds 250,000 per annum was estimated. This cost mainly falls to farmers in the three counties of Armagh, Fermanagh and Tyrone where 84 per cent of clinical cases take place. As a result the farmers in that area have to bear a loss of pounds 212,500 per year because of babesiosis.     

Osteomyelitis in the dog and cat

Osteomyelitis was seen in 38 dogs and five cats over a 10 year period. Seventy per cent of cases occurred as a complication of orthopaedic surgery. The remainder were due to spread from infective foci elsewhere in the body. Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism isolated from long bones. Bone infection was responsible for delayed union in 13 fractures and non-union in four. Surgical treatment was necessary for the resolution of most cases.     

Effects of a mastitis control programme on the incidence of clinical mastitis

Summary

The results of a mastitis control field experiment in Utrecht over three and a half years, including sevens herds with a total of 225 lactating cows are presented. Every case of clinical mastitis was examined bacteriologically. Quarter samples were taken routinely at an average interval of five weeks.

The incidence of clinical mastitis in each herd at the start of the experiment varied from 10 to 104 quarter cases per 100 cows per year. The majority of cases of clinical mastitis (33.1 per cent) occurred during the first month of lactation.

In 74.4 per cent of the lactations marked by clinical mastitis only a single case was observed during that lactation period. If the animals were on pasture during the first month of lactation, the incidence of clinical mastitis was significantly lower during this month, compared with the first month when they were housed. Str. dysgalactiae was the most common isolate from clinical cases (21.5 per cent). A total proportion of 40.3 per cent of the clinical cases were caused by cocci, 20.3 per cent by Gram‐negative bacteria and 16.0 per cent were bacteriologically negative. Of the clinical cases caused by streptococci and staphylococci, 33.3 per cent were preceded by subclinical infection, compared with 11.8 per cent of the clinical cases due to E. coli. The overall incidence of clinical mastitis in this experiment decreased from 47 to 31 per 100 cows per year.     

青海省达日县退化草地研究 Ⅱ 退化草地成因分析与评估

通过对１９８５年至１９９７年两次草地畜牧业资源调查资料的分析认为，达日县产草量和载畜量的年减少量分别为３万ｔ青草和ｌ万个羊单位；黑土滩增加到８１８．９７ｋｍ２。在个别地区、个别时间、局部草地有超载，但从整体上讲，整个草地并不过牧；全球气温升高所引起的荒漠化，应是处于半干旱—半湿润干旱区的达日县草地退化、大片黑土滩产生的主要原因。     

Aetiology of clinical mastitis in six Somerset dairy herds.

Clinical mastitis was monitored in six Somerset dairy herds for one year. The herds all had three-month geometric mean bulk milk somatic cell counts of less than 250,000 cells/ml. Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen isolated on all the farms and in all months of the year. Environmental pathogens accounted for 61.4 per cent of all cases of clinical mastitis and for 79.3 per cent of the mastitis cases in which an aetiological agent was identified. The mean annual incidence was 41.6 cases per 100 cows (range 14 to 75). Affected cows suffered a mean of 1.5 cases and 16.4 per cent of quarters suffered at least one repeat case. Mastitis due to E. coli was more severe than mastitis due to other causes and it tended to be more severe in early lactation and during the housing period. Mastitis was significantly more severe (grades 2 and 3) in the herd with the lowest bulk milk somatic cell count and in the herd which was kept indoors throughout the year than in the other four herds. Mastitis was fatal in 2.2 per cent of cases and resulted in the death of 0.6 per cent of the lactating cows.     

Displacement of the abomasum in the cow. Incidence, etiological factors and results of treatment.

Fiftynine cases of abomasal displacement were registered during a 10 year period in a veterinary district in Norway with a dairy cow population of approx. 2500. Of these, 88% were left displacements and 12% right displacements. Ten per cent recovered spontaneously without subsequent relapse. Corrective surgery was performed on the remainder, and 92% of these recovered completely. Surgery was, in most cases, performed on the same day as the diagnosis of abomasal displacement was made. The displacements occurred at all times of the year: 86% of cases involved cows in third or subsequent lactation 95% were diagnosed within the period 4--64 days after calving, and 70% of the cows had been treated for other illness with disturbance of digestion during the week immediately prior to the demonstration of the displacement. In a further 25%, ketosis was diagnosed at the same time as the displacement. Etiology and pathogenesis are discussed.     

Time trends and risk factors for diabetes mellitus in dogs: analysis of veterinary medical data base records (1970-1999)

The objectives of the study were to identify recent trends in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in dogs and to identify host risk factors. Veterinary Medical Data Base (VMDB) electronic records of 6860 dogs with a diagnosis of DM (VMDB code 870178500) between 1970 and 1999 were evaluated to determine time trends. Records of 6707 dogs with DM and 6707 frequency matched dogs with any diagnosis other than DM from the same teaching hospitals in the same year, selected as controls, were evaluated for risk factor analysis. The prevalence of DM in dogs presented to veterinary teaching hospitals increased from 19 cases per 10,000 admissions per year in 1970 to 64 cases per 10,000 in 1999, while the case-fatality rate decreased from 37% to 5%. The hospital prevalence of DM was consistently greater over time in older compared with younger dogs with the highest prevalence occurring in dogs 10-15 years of age. Dogs weighing <22.7 kg had a significantly (P<0.001) greater risk of DM compared with heavier dogs. Female dogs had an increased risk of DM compared with males (P<0.001).     

Incidence of histomonosis in turkeys in France since the bans of dimetridazole and nifursol

Between April 2003 and March 2005, 113 outbreaks of histomonosis were recorded in standard turkey farms in France, and 15 cases were recorded in turkey breeding centres. Most of the cases were in north-west France, the principal farming area for turkeys. The majority of the cases occurred during the hottest months, from April to September. Large numbers of cases occurred among birds from four to eight weeks of age, but there were some cases in three-week-old birds and some in birds up to 17 weeks of age. In most of the standard turkey flocks the mortality was less than 10 per cent, but it was above 30 per cent in nearly 20 per cent of the outbreaks. In the breeding flocks, the average mortality was 60.2 per cent. The size of the flocks, the sex of the birds and the age at which the first clinical signs appeared did not seem to influence the mortality.     

Effects of stage of lactation, month, age, origin and heart girth on lameness in dairy cattle

Lameness in herds during one year was commonest in the first month of lactation (15 per cent of all cases). Leg lesions were particularly common at this time (24 per cent of all cases of leg lesions) but white line abscess and sole ulcer were more common a month later. Foul-in-the-foot was one of the two most common lesions at all stages of pregnancy and lactation, and white line abscess the most common (20 per cent of all lesions) in late lactation. Both sole ulcer and underrun heel had lower incidence in the second half of the year than the first. White line abscess was particularly common in March and November although there were significant interactions between month and veterinary practice; foul-in-the-foot was most common in October. Susceptibility to lameness increased with age; 10-year-old cows were over four times more likely to develop lameness than three-year-old cows. This was due particularly to increased incidence with age of white line abscess and sole ulcer and, to a lesser extent, underrun heel. In contrast, foul-in-the-foot and leg lesions showed little change with age. Whereas these lesions accounted for 68 per cent of the total in cows up to two years old, they accounted for only 15 per cent of all lesions in cows over 10 years old. White line abscess was slightly commoner in cows with large heart girths.     

Incidence of clinical mastitis in a cohort of British dairy herds

A three-year survey to determine the incidence of clinical mastitis and the associated bacteria in dairy herds in England and Wales is described. Escherichia coli was the predominant organism in each year. Streptococcus uberis and Staphylococcus aureus were important for part for each year. The annual incidence of mastitis declined from 54.6 cases per 100 cows in 1980 to 41.2 in 1982. The incidence increased with age and declined with increasing herd size. The culling rate due solely to mastitis was 3 per cent. Strep uberis was the pathogen most frequently isolated from clinical cases which occurred in the dry period. Thirty per cent of all cases recurred at least once and staphylococcal cases exhibited the highest frequency of recurrence.     

Mastitis prevalence and the selection of dry cow therapy programmes in dairy herds

Sales of intramammary cerates to a group of 142 dairy farms over a period of two years were monitored. On the assumption that three tubes of cerate are used to treat one case of mastitis, an estimate was made of the prevalence of clinical mastitis in these herds. The prevalence in seasonal supply herds was 21 cases per 100 cows per year and the prevalence in town supply herds was 66 cases per 100 cows per year. The usage of dry cow therapy was related to changes in the prevalence of clinical mastitis in these herds. The use of whole-herd therapy reduced the prevalence of clinical mastitis in herds which had a high prevalence in the first year, but in herds with a low prevalence of clinical mastitis the prevalence increased after the use of dry cow therapy.     

Incidence of infertility in dairy cows

The incidence of anoestrus, suboestrus, delayed ovulation, cystic ovaries, repeat breeder cows, endometritis and other forms of infertility was studied in 283 herds over a period of eight years (2,304 cases). The total incidence of infertility (0.111 cases per cow per year) varied significantly from year to year. The peak of the seasonal variation occurred in December-April and did not correspond with the seasonal variation in calving. Both the size of herd and the type of housing affected the incidence of infertility, but the differences were great in respect of the various diagnoses. The incidence of ketosis by herd correlated significantly with the incidence of infertility by herd.     

Intussusception in 12 cats

The medical records of 12 cats presented with intussusception and diagnosed at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Sylvania Veterinary Hospital were reviewed. Eleven cats were less than one year old at the time of diagnosis. No breed or sex predilections were determined. The most consistent clinical signs were anorexia (83 per cent), weight loss (83 per cent) and a palpable abdominal mass (92 per cent). Vomiting (58 per cent) and diarrhoea (50 per cent) were seen less frequently in these cats compared with the reported incidence of these signs in dogs. In 10 cats the intussusception was corrected surgically. Manual reduction was successful in three of the cats but six required end-to-end anastomosis following intestinal resection and in one cat a typhlectomy was performed. Postoperative ileus complicated recovery in three cases. Recurrence of the intussusception at a different site occurred in two of these cases. One cat with recurrence of intussusception died and the cat with ileus but not recurrence was euthanased one month after the original surgery.     

Haemophilus somnus Infections I. A Ten Year (1969-1978) Retrospective Study of Losses in Cattle Herds in Western Canada

A total of 838 outbreaks of fatal Haemophilus somnus infections in herds of cattle were diagnosed at provincial veterinary laboratories in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia during the period 1969-1978. The index cases from these outbreaks included 759 cases of thromboembolic meningoencephalitis, 78 cases of fibrinous pneumonia with pleuritis and one case of H. somnus abortion. The epizootics were subdivided on the basis of province, class and age of cattle and seasonal occurrence. Most outbreaks occurred in a feedlot-type of operation, approximately four weeks after arrival of the cattle. There was often a history of respiratory disease prior to an outbreak and in some cases thromboembolic meningoencephalitis had occurred in the herd the preceding year. The average morbidity-mortality ratio was 2.7/1. The average economic loss per herd was $3 190 based on an average of 15 sick animals and five deaths per affected herd.     

Maternal performance of Hereford, Brangus, and reciprocal crossbred cows under semidesert conditions.

Maternal performance of 134 Hereford (H), Brangus (B), and reciprocal crossbred (H x B and B x H) cows from 2 to 7 yr of age was evaluated under semidesert conditions in this study. Calves produced by 2- and 3-yr-old cows were sired by Brangus and Hereford bulls. Calves produced by 4- to 7-yr-old cows were sired by Charolais bulls. Breed of sire and breed of dam of cow affected kilograms of weaning weight, 205-d weight, weaning weight as a percentage of cow weight, and 205-d weight as a percentage of cow weight produced annually. Brangus (either as sire or dam of cow) was superior to Hereford in all cases. Observed maternal heterosis on 2- to 3-yr-old cows was 23.0, 20.1, 30.0, 29.1, 23.9, and 23.0% for calf birth date, weaning percentage, weaning weight per year, 205-d weight per year, weaning weight as a percentage of cow weight per year, and 205-d weight as a percentage of cow weight per year, respectively (P less than .01). Observed maternal heterosis from mature cows was 19.8, 12.8, 21.0, 18.7, 17.4, and 15.4% for calf birth date, weaning percentage, weaning weight per year, 205-d weight per year, weaning weight as a percentage of cow weight per year, and 205-d weight as a percentage of cow weight per year, respectively (P less than .01). Results indicate large heterotic effects on annual cow productivity and an adaptive advantage for cows with Brangus sires and(or) dams under semidesert conditions.     

Retrospective analysis of the efficacy of different hormone treatments of cystic ovarian disease in cattle

Cystic ovarian disease in cows was treated either with a single intramuscular injection of 500 micrograms cloprostenol, a prostaglandin F2 alpha analogue, in 77 cases of luteal cysts or with 500 micrograms gonadorelin or 20 micrograms buserelin, gonadotrophin releasing hormone or its analogue (GnRH), in 116 cases of follicular cysts. Recovery was defined as the absence of cysts and the formation of a corpus luteum either with or without observed oestrus within 10 days after treatment with cloprostenol and 15 days after treatment with GnRH. Recovery occurred in 65 per cent and 52.6 per cent of cases, respectively, in average times of 4.9 and 19 days. Fifteen days after treatment with GnRH, 20 cows with luteinised cysts were treated with cloprostenol and 15 recovered in a mean of 20.4 days, while 10 which still had follicular cysts, were given GnRH and one recovered 31 days after the beginning of treatment. Another 27 cows, in which cysts became luteinised, were treated with cloprostenol seven days after treatment with GnRH to give quicker (average 11.5 days) but poor (48 per cent) recovery and with a higher rate (33 per cent) of recurrence of cysts. A progesterone releasing intrauterine device was used in 25 cases of cystic ovarian disease, some of which had been previously treated. Sixty-eight per cent recovered in an average of 15 days. The proportions of cows becoming pregnant to one to three inseminations after the different methods of treatment were similar (77 to 94 per cent).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Risk of bovine tuberculosis for cattle sold out from herds during 2005 in Ireland

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine the risk of bovine tuberculosis (TB) among animals sold out from herds that were free to trade animals during the year 2005 according to their bovine TB testing history during the year 2005. The present study sample comprised of 338,960 animals, of which 124,360 animals were sold out from herds that were restricted from trading at some stage during 2005 (bovine TB 'exposed') and 214,600 animals that were sold from herds which did not have their trading status withdrawn in 2005 (bovine TB 'non-exposed'). The overall risk of a diagnosis of bovine TB during the two-year period after the animals were sold out was 0.69 per cent. The odds of bovine TB were 1.91 higher for animals sold out from bovine TB 'exposed' herds compared with animals sold out from bovine TB 'non-exposed' herds (OR 95 per cent CI: 1.76 to 2.07, P<0.0001). Ten per cent of animals identified during field surveillance with bovine TB did so less than two months after being sold out in 2005, and similarly, 10 per cent of the animals classified as bovine TB positive by finding a bovine TB lesion at slaughter did so within 25 days (or less) of being sold out in 2005.     

Corpus alienum in the abomasum of cattle.

In a field study consisting of about 7000 adult cattle 36 cases of corpora aliena (CAA) in the abomasum were found. After recording the clinical symptoms such as recurrent slight ruminal tympany and abdominal pain after eating, the metal specimens were found by a detector, with which the sound of the moving metal could be followed behind the xiphoid cartilage region. The diagnoses were confirmed by operation in 10 cases, when the specimens were found in the abomasum and removed. Four of these operations were performed directly near the linea alba and in six cases the specimens were removed by hand and magnet through the reticulo-abomasal opening after attempting the routine hard ware operation. In an additional 16 cases the foreign body could not be caught hold of and removed by a ruminal operation due to passage difficulties through the reticulo-abomasal opening. The results of the direct or indirect operations when the CAA was removed, were good. It is concluded that CAA can occur in some 5 per mille of the patient population and in some 50 per cent of these cases a traumatic reticulitis is also found. In most cases the clinical symptoms are vague. Only if the symptoms are painful and recurrent is the operation indicated.