Prevalence and incidence of intramammary infections in lactating dairy goats

AIM: To determine the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) of lactating dairy goats between 0 and 4 days postpartum, the prevalence and incidence rate of new IMI at Weeks 2, 14 and 27 of lactation, and the relationship between herd-level prevalence of IMI and bulk tank somatic cell count (BTSCC).

METHODS: Milk samples were collected from 8% of a herd (total 624 does) from 18 dairy goat herds in the Waikato region of New Zealand, for bacteriology and somatic cell count (SCC) determination, from both glands within 4 days of kidding (Week 0) and again at Weeks 2, 14 and 27. Prevalence of IMI was determined at each time point and incidence rate calculated for Weeks 0–2, 2–14, and 14–27. Greenwood and Reed-Frost models were compared for estimation of the transmission parameter for all pathogens, and for Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) and Corynebacterium spp. separately.

RESULTS: Bacteria were isolated from 1,122/4,814 (23.3%) glands, with CNS (13.4%) and Corynebacterium spp. (7.3%) being the most common isolates. Prevalence of any IMI increased with stage of lactation, varied among herds, and increased with age (all p<0.05). Incidence rate was 80, 24 and 7 new IMI/10,000 gland days for Weeks 0–2, 2–14 and 14–27, respectively. Incidence rate for any IMI increased with age and with the presence of an IMI in the contralateral gland, and varied among herds (p<0.001). The transmission of each pathogen was better modelled assuming contagiousness (Reed-Frost models), than not (Greenwood models).

At gland level, IMI increased SCC at all stages of lactation (p<0.001). The gland prevalence of IMI within herds was positively associated with ln BTSCC at Week 2 (p=0.02), but not Weeks 14 or 27 (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of IMI increased with stage of lactation, but the highest incidence rate of new IMI occurred in early lactation. Models accounting for the contagious nature of infection fitted better than those not accounting for contagiousness. BTSCC was only associated with prevalence of IMI in early lactation.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Reduction of BTSCC in dairy goats may be best achieved by minimising the prevalence and incidence of new IMI in early lactation. Further studies are required to define management factors associated with the between herd, and stage of lactation, effects on prevalence and incidence rate in order to reduce BTSCC throughout lactation.     

Effect of photoperiod on milk yield and quality, and reproduction in dairy goats

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of long day photoperiod (LDPP) on milk production and reproduction in milk goats. A total of 79 goats were randomly assigned to three treatment groups blocked by day of kidding. Group 1 (Gr1, n = 26) was subjected to natural photoperiod from January 6 to December 5. Group 2 (Gr2, n = 24) was subjected to LDPP (20 h light, 4 h dark) from June 22 to December 5. Group 3 (Gr3, n = 29) was subjected to LDPP from January 6 to December 6. Weekly milk weights and samples were collected for fat, protein and somatic cell count (SCC) determinations. Blood serum was harvested for progesterone (P4) determination. Results indicated a significant effect (p < 0.001) between treatments for body weight changes, feed intake and milk yield. Both light treated groups had a significantly higher (p < 0.001) average daily milk output for the entire lactation period than the control group (G1, 2.193 kg/day; G2, 2.517 kg/day; G3, 2.305 kg/day). Milk fat for the overall lactation was significantly higher in Gr3 (+ 0.19 g/100 ml) than for Gr2 (+ 0.06 g/100 ml) when compared to the control group (x g/100 ml) under natural photoperiod. Somatic cell counts throughout lactation were significantly (p < 0.001) lower for Gr2 (1.70 million/ml) and higher for Gr3 (2.03 million/ml), with the control group (Gr1) having an intermediate level (1.96 million/ml). Progesterone levels between June 9 and August 30 indicated that 27%, 48% and 63% of the animals had P4 levels in excess of 1.0 ng/ml serum for Gr1, Gr2 and Gr3, respectively. Pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasound in December revealed that a high number of does in the light treated groups (10 of 37) were pseudo-pregnant when compared with the control group (1 of 21). Although light appeared to be effective in increasing milk production, further investigations are needed to evaluate the effect of LDPP on pseudo-pregnancy in dairy goats.     

Analysis of production objectives and breeding practices of dairy goats in Kenya

Production objectives and breeding practices of smallholder households participating in dairy goat breeding projects were analysed in relation to their ability to bring about sustainable genetic improvement in the dairy goat flocks in Kenya. A stratified survey involving 311 goat keepers in 4 project sites was used. This employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods to get a holistic view of dairy goats, and take into account the full array of contributions of dairy goats to the smallholder households. Milk production and sales of breeding stock were high priority functions for the objective to create a financial buffer. The breeding objective traits that farmers perceived as being of primary importance were milk yield, growth rate, body size, fertility and disease tolerance. There were logical trade-offs in the choice of these traits by farmers. Female dairy goats were mainly culled due to old age, poor fertility, small body size and poor health. Farmers did not place a large significance on unsatisfactory milk performance when culling female goats, mainly due to the very small production size and the high demand existing for breeding animals. Factors affecting milk yield and flock size presented satisfied a P < 0.1 significance level. The performance levels of dairy goats were mainly influenced by breeding strategies and the resource availability at the farm level. The optimisation of genotype x environment interactions remains the biggest challenge given the objectives set by the farmer.     

Risk factors associated with mastitis in dairy goats

Prevalence of intramammary infection in healthy goats was determined from 4,662 composite udder samples taken over a 9-month period. For each doe, a colostral sample and 2 milk samples were collected. Breed, age, number of days not lactating before kidding, number of lactation days, and kidding date were recorded. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp were isolated from 17.5% of does, Staphylococcus aureus from 3.1%, Mycoplasma spp from 1.2%, Streptococcus spp from 0.3%, and gram-negative bacteria from 2.0%. Gram-negative organisms were associated with intermittent infections, whereas coagulase-negative staphylococci were associated with persistent infections. Intramammary infection was related to breed, number of days not lactating, and number of lactation days, as determined by log-linear analysis. Does of the Nubian breed, does with nonlactating periods of greater than 60 days, and does in the first and last third of a standard 305-day lactation appeared to be at higher risk for intramammary infection.     

Risk of clinical mastitis in dairy herds with a high proportion of low individual milk somatic-cell counts

The relationships between the herd-somatic-cell count (SCC) pattern on a test day and the incidence of clinical mastitis in the subsequent period were studied by collecting health data and monthly records from 2 years (1995-1997) from 121 farms located in the west of France. A total of 980 herd-periods (from one test day to the following one) were analyzed. The outcome variable was the incidence density of clinical mastitis (ICM) within the herd-period. The herd-SCC pattern on a test day was described by cross-combining the proportions of cows with low SCC (<50,000 cells/ml) or with high SCC (>250,000 cells/ml). The relationship between herd-SCC pattern and subsequent ICM was assessed using a generalized linear mixed model. A sensitivity analysis evaluated the effect of different proportions of cows with low SCC on significance and magnitude of the relationship. Risk of clinical mastitis was expressed as a risk ratio (RR) in comparison to a moderate herd-SCC level (with low proportions of cows with low or high SCC).Median ICM was 0.38 cases per 365 cow-days at risk (first and third quartiles: 0 and 0.88). In the situations where few cows (<15%) had SCC>250,000 cells/ml, ICM was higher (RR>1.31) when the proportion of cows with low SCC exceeded 50% than in the reference situation. Risk ratios increased as the proportion of cows with low SCC increased from 40 to 60%. In the situations where the proportion of cows with SCC>250,000 cells/ml exceeded 15%, ICM was higher compared to the reference situation (whatever the proportion of low SCC). Risk ratios were also higher when the proportion of cows with low SCC were >40-60%, compared to the pattern with the proportion of cows with low SCC below 40%. Herd situations with a high proportion of cows with low SCC appeared to be at increased risk of clinical mastitis.     

Causative organisms and somatic cell counts in subclinical intramammary infections in milking goats in the UK

The bacterial causes of subclinical mastitis were determined in samples of milk taken from one half of the udders of 159 goats in three different herds. The mean prevalence of subclinical infection was 33 percent, with prevalences of 26 percent, 39 percent and 42 percent in the three herds. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from seven (13 percent) of the 53 infected halves, coagulase-negative staphylococci accounted for 47 percent, Corynebacterium species for 31 percent and alpha-haemolytic streptococci for 6 percent of the infected samples. The mean somatic cell count of the uninfected milk samples was 428,000 cells/ml, and 93 percent of uninfected samples had counts less than 1,000,000 cells/ml; the mean cell count of the infected samples was 2,785,000 cells/ml.     

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intramammary cefquinome in lactating goats with and without experimentally induced Staphylococcus aureus mastitis

Values for pharmacokinetic variables are usually obtained in healthy animals, whereas drugs are frequently administered to diseased animals. This study investigated cefquinome pharmacokinetics in healthy goats and goats with experimentally induced mastitis. Five adult lactating goats received 75 mg of cefquinome intramammary infusion using a commercially available product into one udder half in healthy goats and goats with clinical mastitis that was induced by intracisternal infusion of 100 cfu of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 suspended in 5 ml of sterile culture broth. Cefquinome concentrations were determined in plasma and skimmed milk samples using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pharmacodynamics was investigated using the California Mastitis Test and pH of milk. Experimentally induced mastitis significantly increased the California Mastitis Test score and pH, and decreased the maximal cefquinome concentration and shortened the half‐life in milk when compared to healthy goats. In conclusion, mastitis facilitated the absorption of cefquinome from the mammary gland of lactating goats and induced marked changes in milk pH, emphasizing the importance of performing pharmacokinetic studies of antimicrobial agents in infected animals.     

Relationships between infection with caprine arthritis encephalitis virus, intramammary bacterial infection and somatic cell counts in dairy goats.

Somatic cell counts, the bacteriological condition of the milk and antibodies against caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) were measured monthly throughout lactation in 121 lactating goats of the Murcia-Granada breed in four commercial dairy goat herds. The prevalence of bacterial intramammary infection was 5.6 per cent and the prevalence of CAEV infection was 20.6 per cent. An analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of herd, intramammary infection and the interaction between intramammary infection and CAEV on the somatic cell count. In udder halves free of intramammary infection, the somatic cell counts were significantly lower in seronegative goats than in seropositive goats (P<0.05), but the difference was not significant in udder halves persistently infected by bacteria. There was a significant increase in somatic cell counts due to bacterial intramammary infection (P<0.01) in the seronegative goats, but this effect was not present in the seropositive animals.     

Risk factors for culling and deaths in eight dairy herds

Objectives To identify risk factors for culling of dairy cows from eight New South Wales dairy herds.
Design A longitudinal population study of dairy cow culling in eight non-seasonally calving dairy herds in the Camden district of New South Wales. Cox's proportional hazards model was used to evaluate various risk factors for culling for a specific reason (sales, deaths, reproductive failure, disorders of the udder and low milk production).
Results Age at first calving was not a significant risk factor for culling. Milk production in the first lactation greater than the population mean did not influence length of productive life overall, but was associated with a greater hazard of removal for disorders of the udder. Risk of culling for reproductive failure differed significantly between farms, and was not related to events in the previous lactation such as calving-to-first service interval or calving-to-conception interval. Shorter calving intervals were associated with increased risk of removal for low milk production and disorders of the udder.
Conclusion Longitudinal surveys to accurately identify reasons for removal from a wide range of herds, identification of herds with low culling rates (especially for reproductive failure and udder disorders), and the identification of practices associated with these culling rates would be worthwhile to the Australian dairy industry.     

A model to determine sampling strategies and milk inoculum volume for detection of intramammary Staphylococcus aureus infections in dairy cattle by bacteriological culture

A model was developed to evaluate the effects that methods of obtaining milk samples and culture inoculum volumes had on the sensitivity of microbiological culture to detect Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infections (IMI). An assumption was made that milk from mammary quarters infected with S. aureus only contains bacteria intermittently. A modified sine wave function was used to model this intermittent shedding pattern. Specifications for the components of the shedding cycle used in this function were based on quantitative culture results from 54 experimentally infected S. aureus quarters, sampled daily for a period of 30–49 days. The components of the shedding cycle were length in days, peak number of CFU shed per milliliter of milk, and length of time in the cycle when no shedding occurred. These components were used to estimate the model's predicted distribution of S. aureus CFU ml⁻¹ milk when individual quarter milk samples were cultured for S. aureus. The sensitivity of culture for several sampling methods was then calculated. The model predicted that culture of a single quarter milk sample had a sensitivity ranging from 60 to 87% for detection of S. aureus IMI depending on inoculum volume. Quarter milk samples taken on day 1 and repeated either on day 3 or day 4, and cultured separately using 0.1 ml of milk for culture inoculum, were predicted to have sensitivities of 90–95% and 94–99%, respectively. Other milk-sampling strategies examined included culture of a composite milk sample (equal-volume mixture of milk from four separate mammary quarters ) and pooled milk samples in which samples from different milkings (either quarter or composite samples) were mixed together and then cultured. The range of predicted sensitivities of these other sampling strategies was 30–97%. Factors having the greatest impact on the sensitivity of culture, in order of importance were: the type of milk sample, the volume of milk cultured, and the time interval between repeated milk sample collection strategies.     

A quantitative trait locus for faecal worm egg and blood eosinophil counts on chromosome 23 in Australian goats

Three microsatellite markers on goat chromosome 23 adjacent to the MHC were used to test for quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting faecal worm egg count (WEC) and leukocyte traits in ten Australian Angora and twelve Australian Cashmere half‐sib families (n = 16–57 per family). Data were collected from 280 Angora and 347 Cashmere kids over a 3‐ and 4‐year period. A putative QTL affecting trichostrongyle WEC was found in two small families at the 5% chromosome‐wise threshold level. The biggest QTL effect for WEC of 1.65 standard deviations (σ_p) was found within the region of OarCP73‐BM1258. A significant QTL affecting blood eosinophil counts at the 1% chromosome–wise threshold level was detected at marker BM1258 (at 26 cM) in two Angora and Cashmere families. The magnitude of the putative QTL was 0.69 and 0.85 σ_p in Angora and Cashmere families, respectively. Due to the comparatively low power of the study these findings should be viewed as indicative rather than definitive.     

Risk factors associated with leptospirosis in dairy goats under tropical conditions in Brazil

Serum samples from 248 adult dairy goats from 13 flocks with lowered fertility farmed in the Rio de Janeiro region of Brazil were examined for Leptospira antibodies by MAT with 24 serovars, cut off 100. A questionnaire was completed for each herd. Antibodies were detected in 20.8% of these goats, mainly to serovar Hardjo. Risk factors associated with seroprevalence to leptospirosis were the frequency of professional veterinary supervision (OR = 2.35), climate (OR = 2.63) and grazing for more than 2h a day. Flock factors as size, type of milking and offering of food supplementation, as well as the location and topography, the type of animal housing or the presence of silos did not significantly affect seroprevalence. We suggest that a successful control program for goat leptospirosis should include a complete investigation of herd management practices, which could influence in the occurrence of the infection.     

Bulk milk ELISA and the diagnosis of parasite infections in dairy herds: a review

The bulk milk enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) is a rapid and inexpensive method of assessing herd exposure to pathogens that is increasingly being used for the diagnosis of parasite infections in dairy herds. In this paper, with the dairy herd health veterinarian in mind, we review the principles of the assay and the recent literature on the potential role of bulk milk ELISA for the diagnosis of ostertagiosis, fasciolosis, parasitic bronchitis due to cattle lung worm and neosporosis. It is generally accepted that assay results reflect exposure to the parasite rather than the presence of active infection. Bulk milk ELISA can be a useful tool for the veterinary practitioner as a component of a herd health monitoring programme or in the context of a herd health investigation. It can also play a role in regional or national surveillance programmes. However, the results need to be interpreted within the context of the herd-specific health management, the milk production pattern and the parasite life cycle.     

Teat lesions and their relationship to intramammary infections on small-scale dairy farms in Kiambu district in Kenya

Mammary gland quarters of 139 lactating dairy cows from small-scale dairy herds were examined visually and by palpation for teat lesions and by California mastitis test (CMT) and bacterial culture for subclinical mastitis. Teat lesions were observed in 97 teats. These included teat chaps (39.2%), teat papillomas (23.7%), teat erosions (22.7%), teat fistulae (5.1%), inverted teats (5.1%) and blocked teats (4.2%). According to the CMT, the prevalence of subclinical mastitis was 33.4% in all the mammary gland quarters, 71.0% in quarters with teat lesions and 24.5% in quarters without teat lesions. There was a significant (P < 0.01) association between teat lesions and the prevalence of subclinical mastitis. The mammary gland quarters with teat lesions were 7.2 times more likely to have a positive CMT (P < 0.01) and 5.6 times more likely to have bacterial organisms (P < 0.01) isolated from them than those without any teat lesions. The bacterial organisms most frequently isolated from the CMT-positive milk samples from both the mammary gland quarters with teat lesions and those without teat lesions were Staphylococcus aureus (50.0%), Streptococcus spp. (34.8%) and Arcanobacterium pyogenes (6.2%).     

Application of the California mastitis test in intramammary Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus infections of camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Kenya

A study was conducted on 207 lactating camels in six herds in Kenya to evaluate the California mastitis test (CMT) for the detection of intramammary infections (IMIs) caused by Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus and to investigate the prevalence of both the pathogens in the camel udder. IMI with S. agalactiae was found in 12% of all camels sampled. IMI with S. aureus was present in 11% of all camels sampled. The herd-level prevalence of IMI varied between 0 and 50% for S. agalactiae and between 0 and 13% for S. aureus. Longitudinal observations over 10–12 months confirmed persistent infections for both pathogens. Observations in one herd suggested that camel pox was a contributing factor in spreading and exacerbating S. agalactiae udder infections.

The CMT had quarter-level sensitivities of 77 and 68% for S. agalactiae and S. aureus in camels, respectively. The CMT specificities were 91% for both the pathogens.     

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Nitrogen and energy utilization in lactating dairy goats fed diets with different legume seeds

The N and energy utilization of diets with different legume seeds was analysed in lactating goats. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were used and in each case 30% of the protein was supplied by one of four different legume seeds: lupins (L), faba beans (FB), bitter vetch (BV) and vetch (V). A group of eight Granadina goats, allocated to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin Square, were used. The N and energy utilization of the different diets may be considered adequate; milk N/intake N was approximately 0.20, milk N/N balance was approximately 0.50 and milk energy/metabolizable energy was approximately 0.30. Under similar N and energy intakes, faecal and urinary excretion of N and the quantities in milk did not vary significantly. However, the partition of the N balance between milk production and deposit within the body varied depending on the diet. Although this N available to the metabolism was the highest for the FB diet, the quantity of this directed to milk was the lowest. Finally, the faecal and urinary excretion with respect to the quantity directed to milk production did not vary significantly among the different diets.     

Quarter,cow, and farm risk factors for intramammary infections with major pathogens relative to minor pathogens in Thai dairy cows

A cross-sectional study was carried out from May to September 2011 on 35 smallholder dairy farms in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to identify the quarter, cow, and farm factors that relate to intramammary infections (IMI) from major specified pathogens, compared to infections from minor pathogens. Data on general farm management, milking management, and dry cow management were recorded for each herd. Quarter milk samples were collected from either clinical or subclinical mastitis quarters. Dependent variables were binary data defining the specified major pathogens, including Streptococcus agalactiae (7.1 %), Streptococcus uberis (9.4 %), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (4.0 %), and other streptococci (16.7 %), as a case, and all minor pathogens as a control, in each dependent variable. The occurrence of S. agalactiae IMI was lower in first-parity cows and cows with short milking time. Cows with body condition score (BCS) <2.5 had higher occurrence of S. agalactiae IMI. The occurrence of S. uberis IMI was higher in quarters with California mastitis test (CMT) score 2, score 3, and having clinical mastitis and in farms with increasing age of vacuum system. Quarters with CMT score 3, having clinical mastitis, cow with manual milking after detaching milking cluster, and farms with high bulk milk somatic cell counts (BMSCC >500,000 cells/ml) had higher occurrence of S. dysgalactiae IMI. For other streptococci, quarters having clinical mastitis, BCS <2.5, and pulling down of milking cluster while milking increased occurrence of other streptococci IMI relative to minor pathogen IMI. These results highlight the importance of individual cow factors, milking characteristics, and BMSCC in determining the risk of IMI from major pathogens.     

Prevalence and herd-level risk factors for intramammary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci in Dutch dairy herds

In this study, the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in The Netherlands was estimated on 49 randomly selected herds with at least 40 lactating cows. In total, 4220 quarter milk samples were collected. The prevalence of CNS IMI in The Netherlands was estimated at 10.8% at quarter level and 34.4% at cow level, making it the most frequently isolated group of pathogens. Fourteen species of CNS were identified; the most frequently isolated species was Staphylococcus chromogenes (30.3%) followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (12.9%) and Staphylococcus capitis (11.0%). Prevalence of CNS IMI was higher in heifers compared to older cows. Geometric mean quarter SCC of CNS-positive quarters was 109,000 cells/ml, which was approximately twice as high as culture-negative quarters. Quarters infected with S. chromogenes, S. capitis and Staphylococcus xylosus had a higher SCC (P<0.05) than culture-negative quarters, while quarters that were culture-positive for S. epidermidis and Staphylococcus hyicus tended to have a higher SCC than culture-negative quarters. An increased prevalence of CNS IMI was associated with the herd-level variables source of drinking water not being tap water, housing of dry cows in one group instead of multiple groups, measurement of cow SCC every month, udder health monitoring by the veterinarian, pasturing during outdoor season, percentage of stalls contaminated with milk, and BMSCC>250,000 cells/ml. Although a causal relation between these factors and prevalence of CNS is not proven and for some factors not even likely, knowledge of the associations found may be helpful when approaching CNS problems on dairy farms.     

Pathogen group specific risk factors at herd, heifer and quarter levels for intramammary infections in early lactating dairy heifers

Risk factors for intramammary infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci, contagious major pathogens and environmental major pathogens in early lactating heifers were evaluated at the herd, heifer and quarter levels. In total, 764 quarters of 191 dairy heifers in 20 randomly selected farms in Flanders (Belgium) were sampled. Quarter milk samples were collected between 1 and 4 days in milk and between 5 and 8 days in milk for bacteriological culture. Data were analyzed using multivariable, multilevel logistic regression analysis. Higher average herd milk somatic cell count (>200,000 cells/mL), not having an effective fly control strategy, contact with lactating cows prior to calving and moderate to severe udder edema prior to calving increased the odds of intramammary infections caused by contagious major pathogens. Poor heifer hygiene and lack of mineral/vitamin supplementation prior to calving were risk factors for intramammary infection caused by environmental major pathogens. Teat apex colonization with coagulase-negative staphylococci prior to calving seemed to protect quarters against intramammary infections caused by major pathogens. Poor heifer hygiene before calving, a non-clipped udder and not practicing of teat dipping prior to calving increased the odds of intramammary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci. Although management is important in the prevention and control of intramammary infections in early lactating heifers, most variation in the prevalence of intramammary infections resided at the heifer and quarter levels, indicating that the susceptibility for intramammary infections around calving is mainly determined by heifer and quarter characteristics.