Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Dec 3;12(1):270.
doi: 10.1186/s12917-016-0905-3.

Bovine mastitis: prevalence, risk factors and isolation of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy herds at Hawassa milk shed, South Ethiopia

Rahmeto Abebe  1 , Hagere Hatiya  2 , Mesele Abera  3 , Bekele Megersa  3 , Kassahun Asmare  3
Affiliations

Bovine mastitis: prevalence, risk factors and isolation of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy herds at Hawassa milk shed, South Ethiopia

Rahmeto Abebe et al. BMC Vet Res. .

Abstract

Background: Mastitis is a disease of major economic importance in dairy industry worldwide. It is of particular concern in developing countries like Ethiopia, where milk and milk products are scarce. The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of mastitis, identify the cow-and herd-level potential risk factors and isolate Staphylococcus aureus, one of etiological agents for contagious mastitis, from cows positive for mastitis. A total of 529 lactating cows selected randomly from 95 herds were screened by California mastitis test (CMT) for sub-clinical mastitis. Also 172 milk samples collected from CMT positive cows were cultured for isolation of S. aureus.

Results: Based on CMT result and clinical examination, the prevalence of mastitis at herd-level was 74.7% (95% CI: 64.5, 82.8). The corresponding cow-level prevalence was 62.6% (95% CI: 58.3, 66.7), of which 59.2 and 3.4% were sub-clinical and clinical mastitis cases, respectively. S. aureus was isolated from 51.2% of the milk samples cultured and 73.2% of the herds affected with mastitis. In the multivariable logistic regression model, the herd-level factors significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the presence of mastitis were herd size, bedding material, and milking mastitic cows last, while at cow-level, breed, parity, stage of lactation, udder and leg hygiene, and teat end shape were noted to have a significant effect on mastitis occurrence.

Conclusion: The very high prevalence of mastitis, more importantly the sub-clinical one, in the herds examined revealed the huge potential economic loss the sector suffers. Perhaps this was attributed to lack of implementation of the routine mastitis prevention and control practices by all of the herd owners. The findings of this study warrants the need for strategic approach including dairy extension that focus on enhancing dairy farmers' awareness and practice of hygienic milking, regular screening for sub-clinical mastitis, dry cow therapy and culling of chronically infected cows.

Keywords: CMT; Dairy herds; Mastitis; Risk factors; S. aureus.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Seegers H, Fouricho C, Beaudeau F. Production effects related to mastitis and mastitis economics in dairy cattle herds. Vet Rec. 2003;34:475–91. doi: 10.1051/vetres:2003027. - DOI - PubMed
    1. González RN, Wilson DJ. Mycoplasmal mastitis in dairy herds. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2003;19(1):199–221. doi: 10.1016/S0749-0720(02)00076-2. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cervinkova D, Vlkova H, Borodacova I, Makovcova J, Babak V, Lorencova A, Vrtkova I, Marosevic D, Jaglic Z. Prevalence of mastitis pathogens in milk from clinically healthy cows. Vet Med. 2013;58(11):567–75.
    1. Radostits OM, Gay CC, Hinchcliff KW, Constable PD. Veterinary Medicine: A text book of the disease of cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and goats. 10. London: Elsevier Ltd; 2007.
    1. Smith KL, Todhunter DA, Schoenberger PS. Environmental mastitis: cause, prevalence, prevention. J Dairy Sci. 1985;68:1531–53. doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(85)80993-0. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources