L34, 35, 36_Mastitis

Question 1

What is mastitis?

Answer 1

Inflammation of the udder.

Question 2

Name 6 signs of clinical mastitis.

Answer 2

1. Heat
2. Pain
3. Swelling of the udder, OR
4. Firming of the udder, without heat, pain or swelling.
5. Milk is abnormal in appearance.
6. Milk yield and quality or decreased.

Question 3

How is sub-clinical mastitis identified?

Answer 3

No visual signs.

Increase in Somatic Cell Count in milk (leukocytes).

Question 4

Name 3 major contagious pathogens that cause mastitis.

Answer 4

Streptococcus agalactiae
Streptococcus dysgalactiae
Staph aureus

Question 5

Name 3 major environmental pathogens that cause mastitis.

Answer 5

Strep uberis
E. coli
Strep dysgalactiae (also contagious)

Question 6

What are ‘contagious’ mastitis pathogens?

Answer 6

Transmission occurs during milking.

Question 7

What are ‘environmental’ mastitis pathogens?

Answer 7

Bacteria survives in the environment and transmission occurs outside of milking.
These organisms can spread from an infected quarter to an uninfected quarter during the milking operation.

Question 8

Name 6 cow-level risk factors.

Answer 8

1. Age (increases with age)
2. Cows dripping milk prior to calving.
3. Teat confirmation - wide
4. Teat condition - lesions
5. Low BCS
6. Stage of lactation: 1st month of lactation and dry period

Question 9

Name 3 environmental risk factors that can cause mastiits.

Answer 9

Seasonal - wet and muddy or hot and humid conditions.
Environmental - faecal contamination
Milking practices.

Question 10

Other than antibiotic and fluid therapy, what other drugs can be administered to a cow down with per-acute toxic mastitis?

Answer 10

Anti-histamines
NSAIDs e.g. flunixin
Multi-vitamin injections
TLC - shelter, access to food and water; not a drug but could make her ‘high on life!’

Question 11

What are the two main objectives in controlling mastitis?

Answer 11

1. Minimise the occurence of new infections

2. Reduce the duration of infections

Question 12

What are the two main objectives in controlling mastitis?

Answer 12

1. Minimise the occurrence of new infections

2. Reduce the duration of infections

Question 13

Briefly explain Dry Cow Therapy - teat sealant and Dry Cow Therapy - antibiotics.

Answer 13

DCT - teat sealant. Prevents infections over the dry period, by the formation of the keratin plug which seals the teat. This does NOT cure mastitis. DCT - antibiotics is used to cure mastitis.

Question 14

Is Dry Cow Therapy - antibiotic effective?

Answer 14

Yes, high success rates due to high dose of sustained release antibiotic being administered to each quarter.

Question 15

When doing selective DCT with antibiotics who is selected?

Answer 15

Cows that had clinical mastitis
Cows 1 or more ICCC over 250,000
Old cows