Small Ruminant & Camelid Mastitis Flashcards
What part of the udder provides support?
lateral suspensory ligaments
How do udders in small ruminants sit? What type of udder should producers breed against?
high and tight ot the abdominal wall and above the level of the hicks during lactation
pendulous udders - more likely to be damaged, more likely to develop mastitis, difficult for lambs/kids to nurse
Mammary gland anatomy:
What are 6 classifications of teats in small ruminants?
- clean - single, normally shaped teat with one opening
- functional - able to produce and secrete milk
- nonfunctional
- supernumerary - extra
- split, cluster, fishtail
- weeping - milk secreted by tissue in the wall of the teat, common in diary breeds –> hands commonly get wet during milking, may see cysts filled with milk on teat
Abnormal teat anatomy:
Udder grading:
How does milk composition compare in sheep and goats? Miniature breeds?
SHEEP = 7.6% fat, 6.2% protein
GOATS = 4-6.9% fat, 3% protein –> smaller fat globules, higher proportion of short-chain fatty acids
MINIS = produce milk in lower volumes, but milk is higher in fats and protein
How does sheep milk compare to cow and goat milk?
sheep milk is higher in fat, protein, caseins, and other solids, but lower in volume
How does udder edema present? How is it differentiated from mastitis?
mammary gland swelling common in recently freshened does or ewes
- EDEMA = normal milk, resolved without treatment, can be caused by significant internal parasitism
- MASTITIS = udder is hot or cold to the touch, pain on palpation, abnormal milk, animal may have a fever
How does congenital and acquired asymmetrical udders differ?
CONGENITAL = unbalanced suspensory ligaments
ACQUIRED = uneven milk production, side with less milk may have subclinical mastitis and lambs will preferentially nurse the healthy side, fibrous tissue due to previous mastitis or trauma can cause the production of a blind half, where one side does not produce milk
What is most commonly the cause of herd-wide asymmetrical udders?
asymmetric placement of milking claws from the side, leading to different milk production rates
Asymmetric udders:
What is hard bag? How does it affect the udders?
accumulation of fibrous tissue in the udder, which replaces milk-producing tissue and results in lamb starvation
- appear full, but has little or no milk
- feels hard
What 3 infections is hard bag commonly associated with? What should be done in animals that present with persistent hard bag?
- ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP)
- Maedi visna
- caprine arthritis and encephalitis virus
cull
What is a hard milker? What are 2 possible causes? How is it treated?
small streak canal limits flow of milk
- genetically small streak canal - not recommended to breed
- trauma/irritation and consequent scarring
surgical enlargement of streak canal opening
What are 2 possible complications associated surgical treatment of hard milkers?
- permanent leakage
- increased chance of mastitis
What is agalactia? What are 2 possible causes?
absence of milk in a lactating animal
- systemic disease leading to reduced feed intake - pregnancy toxemia
- mastitis
What are 2 common causes of teat lacerations? How is it treated?
- lambs/kids with sharp teeth
- other animals stepping on udder
- clean with chlorhexidine or betadine scrub and warm water
- apply disinfectant ointment or spray to create a barrier to infection
- if severe, take lamb/kid off dam
What should be checked for if blisters/sores are found on a dam’s teat?
look carefully at the lamb/kid’s mouth for similar lesions, as orf is a possible cause