Mastitis Flashcards
what is mastitis?
inflammation of mammary gland
what are the two categories of mastitis?
clinical
subclinical
what is the difference between clinical and subclinical mastitis?
clinical - visible changes in udder, milk and cow
subclinical - no visible clinical signs but changes to SCC, milk quality and yield
what are the type of clinical mastitis?
grade 1, 2A, 2C and 3
what is grade 1 mastitis?
mild mastitis with changes to milk (consistency, clots…)
what is grade 2A/C mastitis?
acute/chronic mastitis with changes to milk and udder ranges from hot and painful to hard and lumpy
what is grade 3 mastitis?
changes in milk and udder and cow is sick
what are the main environmental pathogens of mastitis?
E. coli
Strep uberis
Klebsiella spp.
what are the main contagious pathogens of mastitis?
Strep uberis
Strep agalactiae
Strep dysgalactiae
Staph aureus
Coagulase negative staphs
Mycoplasma spp.
what pathogen is both an environmental and contagious mastitis pathogen?
Strep uberis
what are the possible consequences of a cow not clearing a mastitis infection?
chronic infection causing spread to the herd
permanent udder damage (milk drop…)
death (toxaemia or cull)
are most contagious mastitis pathogens gram positive or negative?
positive
how does high somatic cell count effect the milk product?
high SCC milk goes off faster (due to the effect on the fat breakdown)
what is the legal limit for SCC?
repeatedly over 400 000 (want to be under 200 000 - financial penalties at this point)
what are the two defence systems of the mammary gland?
innate immune system (first line defence)
acquired immune system
what does the innate immune system of the mammary gland consist of?
resident leucocyte
antimicrobial substances in milk
teat canal
teak skin
how does the teat skin work as part of the innate immune system?
prevents colonisations of the teat with bacteria by its stratified squamous epithelium with bacteriostatic fatty acids
what can compromise the innate immune function of the teat skin?
chapping, bruising, trauma, teat lesions caused by the milking machine and calves…
what features of the teat canal help too protect against pathogens?
keratin lining traps bacteria and continuously sloughs
keratin plug seals off teat end when cow is dried off
how long does the teat sphincter muscle take to close after milking?
20-30 minutes
what are the grades of teat end hyperkeratosis?
no ring
smooth/slightly roughened ring
rough/very rough ring (increased mastitis)
what increased the risk of teat end hyperkeratosis?
excessive milking vacuums
faulty pulsations
liner type
teat shape
how can we protect the teat end/canal?
genetics (good conformation)
milking machine function
loafing time post milking (lameness??)
teat sealants/drying off
what factors inside the udder contribute to the innate immune system?
resident leucocytes
lactoperoxidase
lysozymes
lactoferrin
complement
what are the main resident leucocytes if the udder?
macrophages, neutrophils and T lymphocytes
what are the functions of the resident leucocytes of the udder?
phagocytosis and killing of pathogens
trigger acquired immune system (antigen presentation and pro-inflammatory mediators)
what produces lactoferrin in the udder?
epithelial cells and leucocytes
when is lactoferrin levels in the udder highest?
during the dry period (inhibit bacterial growth)
is lactoperoxidase bacteriostatic or bactericidal?
bacteriostatic
are lysozymes bacteriostatic or bactericidal?
bactericidal
what does the initial response of B lymphocytes in the udder produce?
IgM and IgG1
what does repeated exposure of B lymphocytes to pathogens on the udder cause production of?
IgG2
what are the two types of T lymphocytes involved in the acquired immune response of the udder?
T helper cell
T cytotoxic cells
what is the role of T cytotoxic cells in the udder?
eliminate host cells invaded by pathogens
what is the function of IgA in the acquired immune response in the udder?
agglutination of bacteria and neutralisation of toxins
what factors effect the mammary gland immunity?
genetics
stage of lactation
nutrition
vaccination
stress
what genetic traits effect the resistance to mastitis?
udder type, speed of milking, yield, neutrophil function
depends of breeds (even variation within breeds)
what genetic factors are we currently able to select for to increase mastitis resistance in cows?
low SCC (don’t want too low)
udder confirmation
yield
what are the high risk periods of lactation for mastitis infection?
early/late dry period and early lactation (these are times when immunity is lowest and the udder isn’t being cleared out)
when is the best time to clear the udder of mastitis infection?
middle of dry period down udder as involuted
why is the early and late dry period a risk factor for mastitis?
milk/colostrum production occurring - leakage and good growth medium
what factors of the dry period could predispose to mastitis?
cessation of milking - increased intramammary pressure and teat canal widening
no clearance of bacteria
no teat dipping
keratin plug takes time to form
why is neutrophil function decreased in the early dry period?
secretions have high fat and cell debris content which impairs the function
why is white blood cell function reduced in the udder of periparturient cows?
increased colostrogenesis interferes with neutrophil capacity
stress and hormone levels (cortisol is immunosuppressive)
how does nutrition effect mastitis?
negative energy balance - lower WBC count
SARA - poor hygiene and negative energy balance
hypocalcaemia - weakened teat sphincter
what mastitis pathogens is there a vaccine for?
Staph aureus, coliforms and coagulase negative staph
Strep uberis
what is the issue with the vaccine for mastitis pathogens?
must be given 3 or 4 times per lactation
how often do teat liners need replacing?
ever 2500 milkings or 6 months
if milk is unable to leave one of the claws during milking, what is the most likely cause of this?
problems with the air bleed
what is the pressure of the vacuum applied during milking?
42-48 kpa
what generates a non-continuous vacuum in the milking parlour?
pulsator (allows teat to rest and circulation to be restored)
how can mastitis infection be passed by the actual milking machine?
liner contamination
wet milking - milk flushed upwards due to inadequate vacuum or blocked air bleeds
what can cause a fluctuating/inadequate vacuum of the milking machine?
inadequate pump/reserve
holes in tubing
cluster falling off of slipping
what is teat end impact?
milk flowing back up to the teat end due to a blocked air bleed
if the pulsator is set too fast, what happens?
the teats don’t get enough rest - swollen blue teats causing damage to skin and teat end
what are some simple things that can be assessed on a milking machine?
blocked air bleeds
cleanliness of liners
wear of liners
perished/holed tubing
vacuum gauge (42-48kpa)
how often should a parlour be serviced?
every year
what are the positive of fore milking?
stimulate milk let down
early mastitis detection
(legal requirement)
what are common disinfectants used for pre-dipping in the parlour?
chlorohexidine
iodophors
chlorine dioxide
hypochlorite
what are some considerations for pre-dipping in the parlour?
correct concentration
correct contact time
correct coverage
what is the milk ejection reflex?
teat stimulation causes neural input to the hypothalamus which triggers oxytocin to be released from the posterior pituitary leading to myoepithelial cell contraction in the mammary gland
how long should be the time between wiping and putting the cluster on?
30-45 seconds
what are the possible constituents of a teat dip?
emollients
dye
disinfectant - iodine, chlorhexidine, lactic acid, ammonium compounds
what are the advantages/disadvantages of loafing time?
allows closure of sphincter to prevent environmental infection
but can exacerbate lameness
what is the ideal milking order?
(milk least likely to be infected/most susceptible first)
heifers
fresh calvers
high yielders
low yielders
high cell count
mastitis
how are high cell count or mastitic cows managed in the parlour?
mark them
use a separate cluster and disinfect/backflush
(hypochlorite or peracetic acid)
if a farm is having an issue wit Staph aureus mastitis, what should be done in the parlour wash routine?
should be a hot wash every milking
what are some infectious causes of teat damage?
warts - papilloma
pdeudo-cowpox
bovine herpes mammilitis
black spot
cowpox
udder impetigo
what are some non-infectious causes of teat damage?
hyperkeratosis
photosensitisation
chapped teats
cut teats
teat peas
teat stenosis
blind teats