Clinical Bovine Mycoplasmal Mastitis: An Epidemiologic Study of Factors Associated with Problem Herds

The California Dairy Herd Improvement Association records of 29 California dairies which experienced clinical mycoplasmal mastitis between January 1975 and December 1977 were examined and compared to the records of selected control herds. A 15-fold greater risk of clinical mycoplasmal mastitis was found among large herds as compared to small herds. On average, herds with clinical mycoplasmal mastitis culled 5 % more cows than did control herds (33 % vs 28 %). No difference was found in average milk production. These findings compare closely with the findings of a previous report where infected herds were identified by the presence of pathogenic mycoplasma in bulk tank milk. The similarity of results support the use of frequent bacteriologic culture of bulk tank milk as a routine surveillance strategy for mycoplasmal mastitis in endemic areas. The similarity of results also supports the use of routine clinical diagnostic data in the study of the epidemiology of diseases of veterinary importance.