A three-month study of environmental mastitis in a dairy herd
Allison, C.J.; Greig, A.
Veterinary Record 104(6): 123-125
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 377777 Document Number: 153340
A severe mastitis outbreak was studied among 96 autumn calvers in a herd of 161 cows. Milk samples were taken from all clinical cases and organisms isolated, identified and tested for antibiotic sensitivity. In the 3-month study, 44 cows and 61 quarters became newly infected. Yeasts isolated in 5 cases were associated with contaminated sawdust bedding. Over 80% of new cases were caused by Escherichia coli; treatment with oxytetracycline hydrochloride (intramuscular), and dihydrostreptomycin or combined ampicillin and cloxacillin (intramammary) was effective but 5 cases treated with Cepoxillin did not respond. Staphylococcus pyogenes and Bacillus cereus were each isolated once. The high incidence of E. coli mastitis was considered to be due to the solid flooring which caused udders and teats of cows at rest to be contaminated with material from the cows' feet.