Bovine mastitis continues to be a leading cause of heavy economic losses in the dairy industry and a public health hazard globally. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence, etiologies of clinical and subclinical mastitis, and associated predisposing factors in Embu and Kajiado counties in Kenya. A semistructured questionnaire was administered to 154 smallholder dairy farmers to collect data on management practices, animal factors, and disease history. A total of 395 dairy cows were initially screened for subclinical mastitis using the California mastitis test (CMT), and milk samples were aseptically collected. Both CMT positive and CMT negative samples were analyzed using conventional bacteriological isolation and identification procedures. In the present study, the overall prevalence of mastitis based on CMT and clinical examination was 80% (316/395), out of which 6.8% (27/395) was clinical mastitis, while 73.1% (289/395) was subclinical mastitis. Based on culture, the overall prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis was 51.6% (815/1580), 74.4% (294/395), and 76.6% (118/154) at the quarter, cow, and farm level, respectively. From the 1574 milk samples analyzed by cultured, 1016 bacteria were yielded. The predominant bacteria were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS), 42.8% (435/1016), and in decreasing order, Streptococcus species, 22.2% (226/1016), Staphylococcus aureus, 15.7% (160/1016), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 5.1% (52/1016), and the least was Enterobacter species, 0.7% (7/1016), while 23.7% of the sample yielded no bacterial growth. Risk factor analysis revealed that milking mastitic cows last (p=0.002), using a clean udder drying towel for each cow (p=0.033) and previous history of mastitis (p=0.046) were significantly associated with presence of mastitis. The current study has shown a relatively high prevalence of subclinical mastitis with CNS as predominant bacteria. Therefore, control measures are urgently warranted. Management factors such as milking mastitic cows last, using a clean towel for udder drying for each cow, and culling mastitic cows should be considered and included in the Kenyan mastitis control programs.

Increasing numbers of potentially zoonotic multidrug-resistant (MDR) staphylococci strains, associated with mastitis in dairy cows, are being reported globally and threaten disease management in both animal and human health. However, the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of these strains, including methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), in Kenya is not well known. This study investigated the drug resistance profiles and genes carried by 183 staphylococci isolates from 142 dairy cows representing 93 farms recovered from mastitis milk of dairy cows in two selected counties in Kenya. Staphylococci isolates were characterized by phenotypic characteristics, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, partial sequencing and susceptibility testing for 10 antimicrobial drugs. Detection of seven resistance genes to the various antimicrobial drugs was conducted using PCR. Overall, phenotypic resistance among the staphylococci ranged between 66.1% for ampicillin and 3.5% for fluoroquinolones. Twenty-five percent (25%) of S. aureus and 10.8% of the coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates, were methicillin-resistant staphylococci phenotypically (defined as resistance to cefoxitin disk diffusion). The most common genes found in S. aureus and CoNS were blaZ and strB at 44.3% and 26%, and 78% and 50%, respectively. MDR was observed in 29.67% and 16.3% of S. aureus and CoNS, respectively. These findings pose a threat to bovine mastitis treatment and management as well as human health.

In Kenya, the population of dairy goats is about 200,000 and 80% of these are reared in Mount Kenya region. They provide a quick source of milk for consumption or sale, which has an immense value especially to poor households. The small land sizes required for their rearing are especially useful in these highly populated areas. Although much research has been done on problems faced by dairy cattle farmers, limited information is available on problems faced by dairy goat farmers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the constraints affecting dairy goat production in Mount Kenya region. In a cross-sectional survey, 157 farmers were interviewed on major constraints using a semi-structured questionnaire. The results from the questionnaires showed that the main problems experienced by these farmers were as follows: lack of market of milk and goats 45% (71/157), diseases 33% (52/157), high cost of concentrates 25% (38/157), lack of feed 19% (30/157), problems of unreliable buck rotation program 16.5% (26/157), and insecurity 1.8% (3/157). The study revealed that dairy goat farmers in the region faced by a number of challenges and therefore, our recommendation is there is a need for farmers to be trained on innovative ways of value chain addition and other strategies to market their milk. Additionally, the government should put resources to salvage the milk plant and association members should put firm measures to improve management. Creation of farmer awareness, treatment, and disease control measures should be instituted to improve productivity.

The emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria in clinically challenging situations is a global concern. Staphylococcus resistance poses a threat to available therapeutic agents in management of camel diseases. S. aureus is often isolated from mastitic camel milk. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) can be pathogenic in humans and animals. This cross-sectional study investigated the antimicrobial resistance phenotypes of Staphylococci species in raw camel milk from Garissa County, Kenya. A total of 231 raw camel milk samples from healthy camels were collected. Disk diffusion was used to determine antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Bacteria were revived in Buffered Peptone Water (BPW). Staphylococcus isolates were cultured on Mannitol Salt agar (MSA) and Blood Agar (BA). Coagulase and catalase tests were used to biochemically characterize the isolates. Antibiotic disks were placed on Mueller Hinton Agar and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and diameters of zones inhibition measured. The readings were recorded as either susceptible, intermediate, or resistant based on the interpretative breakpoints by the veterinary Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Antimicrobial agents tested included; Ampicillin, Streptomycin, Cephalexin, Erythromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Cefoxitin, Tetracycline and Chloramphenicol. Out of the 231 raw camel milk samples cultured, 52.8% (122/231) Staphylococci isolates were recovered. Among the Staphylococci isolates 83.6% (102) were S. aureus and 16.4% (20) were CoNS. Overall, 83 (68%) isolates were catalase positive and 122 (91.7%) showed β-haemolysis on BA culture. Highest resistance was observed against Cephalexin (81.9%) and Streptomycin (72.1%) while the lowest resistance was seen against Chloramphenicol (1.6%) and Tetracycline (3.3%). MRSA and MRCoNS were reported at 9.8% and 15% of the isolates respectively. MDR was recorded in 43.4% of the isolates resistant to at least 3 or more antimicrobial groups while 39.3% isolates were resistant to 1 or 2 antimicrobial tested.   In conclusion, the study showed that CoNS and S