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HUANG CH, KAYANO M, KUSABA N. Pathogen and severity-dependent immune responses in bovine mastitis: highlight the dynamics of differential somatic cell count. J Vet Med Sci 2024; 86:7-17. [PMID: 37981317 PMCID: PMC10849865 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune responses in bovine clinical mastitis (CM) probably differ depending on the causative pathogen and disease severity. The observational study aimed to investigate whether both factors are associated with the dynamics of immune indicators, including somatic cell score (SCS), white blood cell count (WBC), serum albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, and differential somatic cell count (DSCC). We collected blood and milk samples 0, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 days after CM occurred in 38 cows, and grouped the cases (n=49) by disease severity and pathogen. We analyzed data using a linear mixed model considering the effects of pathogens and severity, calculated estimated-marginal means for indicators at each time point, and compared the means between groups. The dynamics of WBC varied depending on both pathogen and severity. WBC changed drastically in either severe or coliform-caused CM, slightly elevated in streptococcal mastitis, but unchanged in staphylococcal mastitis. This possibly relates to the deficiency in innate immune response toward staphylococci. The A/G ratio also changed depending on severity, as it dropped sharply only in severe CM. We observed a non-linear relationship between DSCC and SCS, possibly due to mammary epithelial cells shedding in milk when CM occurred. When cows recovering from Streptococcus dysgalatiae mastitis, DSCC decreased while SCS remained high, suggesting a healing process requiring more macrophages. Our results demonstrate that both the severity and pathogen are associated with immune responses in CM, providing insights into mastitis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Hsuan HUANG
- Field Center of Animal Science and Agriculture, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Life and Food Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mitsunori KAYANO
- Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki KUSABA
- Field Center of Animal Science and Agriculture, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
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Vijay D, Bedi JS, Dhaka P, Singh R, Singh J, Arora AK, Gill JPS. Monitoring of antimicrobial usage among adult bovines in dairy herds of Punjab, India: A quantitative analysis of pattern and frequency. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1089307. [PMID: 37065232 PMCID: PMC10098197 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1089307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial usage (AMU) pattern in dairy herds of Punjab, India. The on-farm quantification of AMU in adult bovine animals by the manual collection of empty drug containers ("bin method") along with the records of the treatment was carried out in 38 dairy farms involving 1010 adult bovines for 1 year from July 2020 to June 2021. The farm owners were asked to record the antibiotic treatments as well as to deposit empty antibiotic packaging/vials into the provided bins placed at the farms. A total of 14 different antibiotic agents in 265 commercial antibiotic products were administered to the dairy herds during the study. A total of 179 (67.55%) administered products contained antimicrobials of "critical importance" as per the World Health Organization (WHO). Mastitis (54.72%), followed by the treatment of fever (19.62%), reproductive problems (15.47%), and diarrhea (3.40%) accounted for the majority of drugs administered in the herds during the study period. The most commonly used antibiotics were enrofloxacin (89.47% herds; 21.51% products), followed by ceftriaxone (50% herds; 12.83% products), amoxicillin (50% herds; 12.83% products), oxytetracycline (55.26% herds; 11.70% products), and procaine penicillin (47.37% herds; 12.83% products). The highest quantity of AMU [in terms of antimicrobial drug use rate (ADUR)] was observed for ceftiofur, followed by ceftriaxone, procaine benzyl penicillin ceftizoxime, enrofloxacin, cefoperazone, amoxicillin and ampicillin. A total of 125 (47.17%) products contained "highest priority critically important antimicrobials" (HPCIA) and 54 (20.37%) products contained "high priority critically important antimicrobials". In terms of overall number of animal daily doses (nADD), the highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA) of the WHO such as third-generation cephalosporins and quinolones, respectively accounted for 44.64 and 22.35% of the total antibiotic use in the herds. The bin method offers an alternative to monitoring AMU as a more accessible approach for recording the actual consumption of antimicrobials. The present study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first of its kind to provide an overview of the qualitative and quantitative estimate of AMU among adult bovines from India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepthi Vijay
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Jasbir Singh Bedi
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
- *Correspondence: Jasbir Singh Bedi
| | - Pankaj Dhaka
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Randhir Singh
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Jaswinder Singh
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Anil Kumar Arora
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
| | - Jatinder Paul Singh Gill
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
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Mastitis: What It Is, Current Diagnostics, and the Potential of Metabolomics to Identify New Predictive Biomarkers. DAIRY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/dairy3040050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Periparturient diseases continue to be the greatest challenge to both farmers and dairy cows. They are associated with a decrease in productivity, lower profitability, and a negative impact on cows’ health as well as public health. This review article discusses the pathophysiology and diagnostic opportunities of mastitis, the most common disease of dairy cows. To better understand the disease, we dive deep into the causative agents, traditional paradigms, and the use of new technologies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mastitis. This paper takes a systems biology approach by highlighting the relationship of mastitis with other diseases and introduces the use of omics sciences, specifically metabolomics and its analytical techniques. Concluding, this review is backed up by multiple studies that show how earlier identification of mastitis through predictive biomarkers can benefit the dairy industry and improve the overall animal health.
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Wu H, Yao S, Wang T, Wang J, Ren K, Yang H, Ma W, Ji P, Lu Y, Ma H, He C, Wei W, Zhang L, Liu G. Effects of Melatonin on Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) of Holstein Cow with High SCS. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26040834. [PMID: 33562613 PMCID: PMC7915447 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26040834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mastitis is a common disease in cows breeding. The milk quality will be significantly reduced with increased milk somatic cells, which often occurs in cows with mastitis. In this study, the influence of seasonal changes, age and lactation stages in the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) of cows was investigated. Then, the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) of cows with high somatic cell score (SCS) after melatonin treatment was systemically investigated. The results showed that melatonin significantly suppressed the milk somatic cell score under all of the tested conditions. The melatonin treatment also improved the milk nutritional value by reducing its fat but increasing its lactose and protein contents. The application of melatonin significantly improved the DHI. The beneficial effects of melatonin on DHI are likely attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of melatonin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Songyang Yao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Tiankun Wang
- Beijing Chang Ping District Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Beijing 102200, China;
| | - Jun Wang
- Beijing Animal Husbandry and Veterinary General Station, Beijing 100012, China; (J.W.); (K.R.); (Y.L.)
| | - Kang Ren
- Beijing Animal Husbandry and Veterinary General Station, Beijing 100012, China; (J.W.); (K.R.); (Y.L.)
| | - Hai Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Wenkui Ma
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Pengyun Ji
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Yongqiang Lu
- Beijing Animal Husbandry and Veterinary General Station, Beijing 100012, China; (J.W.); (K.R.); (Y.L.)
| | - Hui Ma
- Beijing Shou Nong Food Group Co. Ltd., Beijing 100029, China; (H.M.); (C.H.); (W.W.)
| | - Changwang He
- Beijing Shou Nong Food Group Co. Ltd., Beijing 100029, China; (H.M.); (C.H.); (W.W.)
| | - Wenjuan Wei
- Beijing Shou Nong Food Group Co. Ltd., Beijing 100029, China; (H.M.); (C.H.); (W.W.)
| | - Lu Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
| | - Guoshi Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agricultural, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.W.); (S.Y.); (H.Y.); (W.M.); (P.J.); (L.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-10-6273-2735
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Costa H, Lage C, Malacco V, Belli A, Carvalho A, Facury E, Molina L. Frequency of microorganisms isolated at different stages of lactation and milk production loss associated with somatic cell count and to mastitis-causing pathogens. ARQ BRAS MED VET ZOO 2019. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4162-10185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of isolation of agents causing subclinical mastitis in a herd and to estimate production losses associated with SCC> 200,000cells/mL. Three 7-day interval microbiological cultures were performed in all lactating animals from the same farm that was evaluated from June to July. To evaluate the negative and positive isolation frequencies between the lactation phases, a Chi-square test was performed. Simple linear regressions were performed to evaluate the lactation curve of animals grouped by pathogens isolated from negative cows in the microbiological culture and with SCC <200,000cells/mL. To estimate the production losses between the groups, regression coefficients were used. Results found in this experiment were: Culture-negative cows with SCC ≥ 200,000cells/mL, cows testing positive in milk culture, with SCC <200,000cells/mL and cows testing positive in milk culture, with SCC ≥ 200,000cells/mL. Milk production was -3.5; -0.5 and -4.27kg, respectively, when compared to culture-negative cows with SCC <200,000cells/mL. Cows infected with yeast cells, Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), Staphylococcus aureus and environmental streptococci produced -3.42; -0.5; -0.168 and -2.5kg of milk when compared to culture-negative cows with SCC <200,000cells/mL. SCC indicates an inflammatory reaction in the mammary gland and it is directly associated with milk production losses and with presence of microorganisms in the mammary gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- H.N. Costa
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - C.F.A. Lage
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - A.L. Belli
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - E.J. Facury
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - L.R. Molina
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Arsenopoulos K, Triantafillou E, Filioussis G, Papadopoulos E. Fly repellency using deltamethrin may reduce intramammary infections of dairy cows under intensive management. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 61:16-23. [PMID: 30502828 PMCID: PMC7124788 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the possible effect of the fly repellent deltamethrin on the full microbiological profile of the intramammary infections as well as on the somatic cell count in one Greek dairy cattle farm under intensive management, during peak fly season. Fifty five multiparous cows, stabled in the same farm, were randomly divided in three groups; cows of Group A were dressed on their back with deltamethrin, cows of Group B remained untreated within the same pen and cows of Group C remained untreated in a separate pen. Clinical records of the herd showed a history of clinical and subclinical mastitis (especially during spring and early summer) and fly infestation. Deltamethrin reduced fly population, landing on the cows of Group A, facilitating a significant decrease of S. aureus, coagulase negative staplylococci, E. coli intramammary infections and somatic cell count, throughout the study period. Consequently, there is a relationship between fly abundance and transmission of bacteria resulting in intramammary infections and mastitis in dairy cows. The use of the pyrethroid deltamethrin reduced fly abundance and therefore, the possibility of transmitting pathogenic bacteria in the mammary gland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Arsenopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - George Filioussis
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Wenz JR. Optimization of Clinical Mastitis Records on Dairies. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 2018; 34:493-505. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Nobrega DB, De Buck J, Naqvi SA, Liu G, Naushad S, Saini V, Barkema HW. Comparison of treatment records and inventory of empty drug containers to quantify antimicrobial usage in dairy herds. J Dairy Sci 2017; 100:9736-9745. [PMID: 28987586 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2017-13116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of antimicrobial use (AMU) is vital for interpreting the origin of changes in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The objectives of the present study were to estimate the association between AMU determined using on-farm treatment records (TR) and inventory of empty drug containers (INV). Herds were selected to represent Canadian dairy farms. Producers were asked to record animal health events and treatments on a standard General Health Event form. For inventory data, 40-L receptacles were placed at various locations considered convenient to deposit all empty drug containers. Antimicrobial defined-daily dosages (ADD) were calculated for 51 Canadian herds using the 2 methods. Estimation of AMU was 31,840 ADD using the INV and 14,487 ADD using the TR, indicating that for every TR entry, 2.20 times more treatments were observed using the INV. Mastitis, reproductive conditions, and dry cow therapy were the most frequent reasons for antimicrobial therapy when assessing TR. For all antimicrobials evaluated, mean ADD was higher using the INV versus TR. Regardless, a strong positive correlation (0.80) was observed between the 2 methods, indicating that herds with increased number of ADD recorded using the INV also had increased number of ADD recorded using TR. Furthermore, a positive association was observed for the 6 most commonly used antimicrobials. In comparison to methods used in surveillance programs on AMU in livestock that assume a constant use in all herds (i.e., sales data), INV provided a herd-level specific quantity of AMU positively correlated with AMU recorded at the animal level in general. The INV was easy to implement and provided a measure of total AMU in the herd. Availability of such information would be valuable for interpreting changes in AMR at the herd level and enabling evaluation of interventions for decreasing AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego B Nobrega
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Bovine Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Network, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada.
| | - Jeroen De Buck
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Bovine Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Network, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - S Ali Naqvi
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Bovine Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Network, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Bovine Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Network, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada; Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Sohail Naushad
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Bovine Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Network, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada
| | - Vineet Saini
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Department of Research and Innovation, Population, Public and Indigenous Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, T2W 3N2, Canada
| | - Herman W Barkema
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Bovine Mastitis and Milk Quality Research Network, St-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 7C6, Canada; Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
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Cardozo L, Thaler Neto A, Souza G, Picinin L, Felipus N, Reche N, Schmidt F, Werncke D, Simon E. Risk factors for the occurrence of new and chronic cases of subclinical mastitis in dairy herds in southern Brazil. J Dairy Sci 2015; 98:7675-85. [DOI: 10.3168/jds.2014-8913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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O'Connell A, McParland S, Ruegg PL, O'Brien B, Gleeson D. Seasonal trends in milk quality in Ireland between 2007 and 2011. J Dairy Sci 2015; 98:3778-90. [PMID: 25828653 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2014-9001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to evaluate annual and seasonal trends in bulk tank somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count (TBC), and laboratory pasteurization count (LPC) in Ireland between 2007 and 2011 (inclusive), and to compare trends based on herd type and herd size. The unadjusted median SCC and TBC of all records were 266,000 and 17,000 cfu/mL, respectively. Data were transformed to log values and analyzed using a mixed model. Fixed effects included milk processor, year, month, and total monthly milk volume; milk producer was fitted as a random variable. After analysis, means were back transformed for interpretation. Annual SCC increased slightly from 259,000 cells/mL in 2007 to a peak of 272,647 cells/mL in 2009 and then declined slightly thereafter. Although statistically significant changes in annual TBC are probably not biologically relevant, values ranged between 23,922 and 26,290 cfu/mL. Annual LPC peaked in 2008 (265 cfu/mL), declined in 2009, and increased thereafter. Monthly mean SCC of all records increased from April onward, with the greatest increases seen from October to December, when the majority of cows entered late lactation. Monthly mean TBC exhibited a seasonal trend, whereby TBC was greatest at the beginning and end of the year, coinciding with winter housing. Seasonal milk production herds (n=8,002 herds) calve all cows in spring (February to April), whereas split-calving herds (n=1,829 herds) calve cows in the spring and autumn. From February to September, monthly SCC was lower for seasonal herds than for split-calving herds, whereas SCC was lower for split-calving herds for the remaining months. During winter (October to March), split-calving herds had lower monthly TBC than seasonal herds, most likely because of stricter regulations imposed upon them. Herd size was approximated using total annual milk production figures. Across all months, larger herds had lower SCC and TBC compared with smaller herds. No obvious improvements in milk quality were seen between 2007 and 2011. Farmers have the opportunity to improve milk quality by reducing bulk tank SCC in late lactation and by imposing stricter hygiene practices at the beginning and end of the year to overcome the seasonal variation of bulk tank TBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- A O'Connell
- Teagasc, Livestock Systems Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland; Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison 53706.
| | - S McParland
- Teagasc, Livestock Systems Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - P L Ruegg
- Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison 53706
| | - B O'Brien
- Teagasc, Livestock Systems Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - D Gleeson
- Teagasc, Livestock Systems Research Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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