A. Clinical Mastitis

· It Is One Of The 3 Forms Of Contagious Udder Infections Where Physical Changes Are Clearly Visible In Udder And Milk. High Yielding Animals Are More Prone. Mainly Caused By Bacteria (Around 100 Types). Also Caused By Fungi, Virus & Rarely By Algae.

Prevention

· Manage The Pre-Disposing Factors Of Mastitis Properly.

· Before Milking, Clean The Udder Well With Clean Water And Wipe Dry With Clean Towel. Should Use Separate Cloth Towel For Each Animal. Disposable Paper Towel Is Also An Option. Repeated Use Of Unclean Towel May Itself Predispose To Mastitis.

· Milking Should Be Quick, Complete And Hygienic.

· Milk Animals With Chronic Mastitis In The End. (See Chapter On This)

· Carry Out Teat Dipping Or Spray Immediately After Milking.

· Prevent The Animal From Sitting For At Least 30-45 Minutes After Milking.

· Periodically Check And Treat For Sub-Clinical Mastitis (See Chapter On This).

· Keep The Floor Of The Cattle Shed Without Holes And As Dry As Possible.

· Continue Teat Dipping/Spray 2 Weeks After Drying Off And Start The Practice Two Weeks Before Calving.

· Carry Out Proper Fly Control.

Treatment

· Contact A Veterinarian Immediately. Early Treatment (Within 2-3 Hours) Improves The Chances Of Cure, Delayed Treatment May Cause Loss Of Udder Or Even Death Of Animal.

· Milk Of Animal Suffering From Mastitis Should Be Discarded At Least For 4 Days After The Treatment Is Over Or As Directed By The Veterinarian.

B. Chronic Mastitis

· A Persistent Infection Of Udder.

· Exists Most Of The Time In The Subclinical Form.

· Occasionally Can Develop Into The Clinical Form Before Returning To The Subclinical.

· This Results In Hard Lumps In The Udder.

Major Pre-Disposing Factors

· Neglected Subclinical Mastitis

· Improper Treatment Protocol Of Acute Mastitis

· Unhygienic Shed

Major Symptoms

· The Affected Udder May Atrophy Or May Lead To Fibrosis Leading To Decreased Or Total Loss Of Production In The Affected Quarter. Chances Of Recovery Of Chronically Affected Quarters Are Very Low Once Atrophy/Fibrosis Has Occurred.

Prevention

· Separate The Affected Cow From Rest Of The Herd Since They Remain A Source Of Infection For Healthy Animals. Milk Chronically Affected Cows In The End.

· Screen Regularly For Sub Clinical Mastitis And Treat Positive Animals.

· Shed Hygiene Is Of Prime Importance.

Treatment

· Antimicrobial Treatment Is Usually Not Effective.

· It Is Better To Dispose Off Such Chronically Affected Animals.

C. Sub-Clinical Mastitis (Scm)

· Most Prevalent Form Of Mastitis – Causes About 70% Of The Losses Due To Mastitis.

· Causes Heavy Losses Due To Its Prolonged Effect Throughout Lactation.

· The Other Forms Of Mastitis (Clinical Or Chronic) Develop From This Stage.

Symptoms

· No Specific Symptom Seen Except A Slight Decrease In Milk Production.

· Cannot Be Normally Detected Since There Is No Physical Changes In Udder Or Milk.

Detection Of Scm

· Cmt – Equal Quantities Of Milk And Cmt Reagent Are Mixed By Rotating, Scm Milk Will Form A Gel. Cmt Reaction May Disappear Within 20 Seconds , Readings Must Therefore Be Taken Fast. Also Check Each Quarter Separately.

· Cmt May Give False Positive Reaction In Very Early (Less Than 10 Days) Lactation Or When Animal Is Almost Dry.

· Strip Cup Test – Small Flakes Are Present In Scm Milk When Viewed Against A Black Surface, Size Of Flakes Increase With The Degree Of Scm.

· Paper Test – Green Colour Is Indicative Of Scm.

· Field Mastitis Test – Can Be Carried Out Like Cmt Using Using Concentrated Detergent Solution Instead Of Cmt Reagent.

Prevention Of Scm

· All The Points Mentioned For Prevention Of ‘Clinical Mastitis’ Are Relevant Here Too.

· Test For The Occurrence Of Scm In Your Animals At Least Once A Week.

· Each Quarter Should Be Separately Tested.

· Newly Purchased Animals Should Be Tested First For Scm And Treated If Found Positive Before Mixing Them With The Herd.

· Scm Positive Animal (S) Should Always Be Milked At The End.

· If Animals Are Tethered In Open, Change Places Frequently.

· Ideally, No Lubricant Should Be Used During Milking. If Used, It Should Be Heated Daily Before Use.

Treatment

· Consult A Veterinarian For Proper Treatment.

· The Chances Of Curing Scm Is Much Higher Than A Clinical Or Chronic Case.

· Timely Treatment Of Scm Will Also Reduce The Chances Of Clinical And Chronic Cases Of Mastitis.

D. Mastitis In Heifers

· Traditionally Heifers Have Been Thought Of As A Group Free Of Mastitis Which Is Not True.

· Routine Visual And Manual Examination Of The Developing Udder, Mammary Fluid And Teat Skin To Identify Swollen Quarters And Abnormal Secretions (Clots And Flakes) Help To Detect Heifer Mastitis.

· Heifers With Teat Scabs And Abrasions Also Are Likely To Be Infected And Should Be Treated With Advice From A Veterinarian.

Prevention And Control

· Calves Should Receive Early, Adequate Colostrum Intake And Be Removed From The Dam As Soon As Possible.

· If Calves Are Grouped, They Should Be Kept Separate For At Least One Hour After Feeding.

· Watch For Suckling Of Heifers: Remove Any Calf From A Group That Sucks On Other Calves.

· Use Fly Control Measures To Minimize Skin And Teat Fly Strikes.

· Pay Attention To Environmental Conditions. Avoid Wet, Bacteria-Laden Areas For Resting Areas Indoors And Outdoors.

· Maintain Adequate Nutrition Without Over-Conditioning Heifers.

· Mineral Mixture Should Be Fed In Adequate Quantities For Boosting The Udder Immune System.

· The Critical Time To Prevent New Infections Is The Last Seven Days Before Calving.

Diseases Of Teat

· Various Conditions Affect The Teat Causing Difficulty In Milking And Some May Even Be Transmitted To The Miler’s Hands.

E. Teat Warts

· Teat Warts Are Caused By Virus And Heifers Are More Prone To Infection.

· Teat Warts May Appear As Fleshy Lumps Or They May Be Of The Feathery Type.

· Teat Warts Are Generally More Of An Unsightly Appearance Issue Rather Than A Serious Physical Problem. But May Hamper Milking.

Treatment

· Treatment Is Not Usually Required, As Most Warts Eventually Regress Spontaneously.

· Surgical Removal Is Possible But May Lead To Recurrence.

· Removal Should Only Be Done On Mature Growths, Since Removing Warts Too Soon Can Stimulate The Growth And Spread The Virus.

· Large Pedunculated Warts Can Be Removed Slowly By Tying A Ligature Around The Base. The Wart Will Dry Up And Fall Off Within A Month.

· Consult A Veterinarian For Further Advice On Treatment.

Prevention

· Disinfection Of Stalls Etc., Can Reduce Transmission.

· The Virus Is Thought To Be Transmitted By Flies, So Fly Control Is Also Important.

· Teat Warts Can Sometimes Be Prevented By Mixing Heifers With Cows When They Are Younger.

F. Ulcerative Mammillitis

· Ulcerative Mammalities Is A Relatively Uncommon Condition But It Can Spread Rapidly In Herds Which Are Affected For The First Time And Cause Significant Pain And Discomfort.

· It Tends To Occur Most Commonly In First Lactation Cows. It Is Also Caused By A Virus.

· Lesions Of Mammalities Can Spread Over The Entire Udder And Perineum.

· Mouths Of Nursing Calves Might Be Affected. The Clinical Signs Vary From Small Irregular Fluid-Filled Blisters To Larger Areas Of Ulcers And Scabs.

Treatment

· No Specific Treatment Is Available.

· Infected Cows Should Be Separated From Others.

· Iodine Dips May Help Disinfect Teats To Prevent The Spread Of The Disease.

· An Emollient Udder Cream Can Speed Healing Of Skin.

Prevention

· Difficult To Eliminate Once Disease Occurs In The Farm.

· Proper Quarantine Of Newly Purchased Animals, Good Hygiene On Farm And Controlling Biting Flies Can Significantly Reduce The Disease.

G. Pseudo Cowpox (Milkers Nodule)

· The Most Common Infectious Cause Of Teat Disease In Cattle.

· Caused By A Virus And Not To Be Confused With Cowpox, Which Is Rare.

· Since Immunity Is Short-Lived, Cows Can Get Infected Fairly Soon (Often Less Than Six Months) After Recovering From The Disease.

Symptoms

· Initial Infection Causes A Small Area Of Swelling And Reddening On The Teat.

· Over The Next Two Days, The Affected Area Elevates Into An Orange Papule, Which Then Scabs Over.

· Seven To Ten Days After First Signs The Scabs Start Dropping Off. This Often Leaves A Horse-Shoe Or Ring Shaped Area, Which Is Very Characteristic Of Pseudo Cowpox.

· Affected Areas May Grow Together Leading To Scabs Covering The Entire Length Of The Teat.

· Damaged Teats Are Usually Healed Around A Month After First Signs.

· Lesions Of Pseudo Cowpox Is Usually Found On The Teat. However Up To 10% Of Affected Cows May Have Lesions On The Udder Skin.

· It Can Spread From Cattle To Man By Contact. Skin Infection In Man Is Known As Miler’s Nodules, And Is A Painful Localized Infection.

Treatment

· Removal Of Scabs Followed By Application Of A Suitable Disinfectant .

· Emollient Teat Dips And Sprays Have A Beneficial Effect Of Reducing Bacteria And Viruses On Teat Skin.

· Consult A Veterinary Doctor If Above Symptoms Are Seen.

Prevention

· Proper Quarantine Of Newly Purchased Cows Before Introducing Into The Herd.

· Proper Teat Dipping Using Iodophor Is One Of The Most Effective Means Of Control.

· Maintain Proper Hygiene In The Shed.