An observational study was conducted on 1,498 cows in 3 large Italian dairy farms. The objective of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of early lactation fat-to-protein ratio in milk. In all 3 herds, an intensive herd health monitoring program was being practiced that included weekly visits and extensive data collection on health, reproduction, production, and culling. A milk sample was collected from all cows at approximately 7 d postpartum and the ratio of fat-to-protein percentage in this milk sample was measured. Animals with a fat-to-protein ratio in early lactation greater than 2.0 showed an increase in postpartum diseases such as retained placenta, left-displaced abomasums, metritis and clinical endometritis. We also observed a decrease in early lactation milk production but this was limited to cows in lactation 2 and higher when the fat-to-protein ratio was greater than 2.0 in the early postpartum milk sample. Finally, an increased risk of being culled from the herd was observed, with the risk of culling increasing with increasing fat-to-protein ratio in the early lactation milk sample. No effect of fat-to-protein ratio was found on the incidence of clinical mastitis in the 3 herds. From this study, we conclude that analyses of milk components in early postpartum (6-9 days in milk), particularly the ratio of fat-to-protein percentage, is a valuable indicator of lipo-mobilization and the negative energy balance status in postpartum cows. Because a single milk sample is sufficient to provide valuable information, we suggest that this is a valuable addition to herd health programs on dairy farms.

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Background: Mastitis is one of the most costly diseases in Mediterranean buffalo (MB). At present, just a few specific antibiotics registered for this dairy specie have been synthetized. Efficacy of an antibiotic dry buffalo therapy (aDBT) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) mastitis, based on intra-quarter administration of 600 mg of benzathine cloxacillin, have been evaluated for the first time. Eighty MB's quarters received a drying-off therapy (aDBT-group) and 80 were left untreated (no-aDBT-group). They were sampled at drying-off (pre-treatment) and at the resumption of milking [< 10 days in milk (DIM)]. Fresh calver mastitis rate, dry period new mastitis rate, dry period cure rate, and persistent mastitis rate were calculated for clinical monitoring. Overall proportion of positive quarters/ animals, quarters affected by mastitis or intramammary infections (IMI), effects on somatic cell count (SCC) and milk yield were also assessed. Results: An inter-group difference (aDBT vs. no-aDBT) was recorded for all the indexes considered. An intra-group (drying-off vs. < 10 DIM) difference was detected in aDBT-group regarding the proportion of positive-cultured quarters and animals. Concerning the latter, an inter-groups difference was also recorded at second sampling. No clinical mastitis due to the S. aureus was observed. Regarding the subclinical ones, a higher intra-group difference was observed in aDBT than no-aDBT group, while an inter-group difference was recorded at second sampling. No protective effect was observed against IMI. SCC showed an inter-group difference at second sampling, while none difference was instead detected for milk yield. Conclusions: The effects against S. aureus mastitis of benzathine cloxacillin administration at drying-off were assessed for the first time in MB. Its use shows encouraging results in reducing the proportion of mastitis and positive animals at the resumption of the lactation.

Puerperal metritis is a common disease in the first 3 weeks after calving in dairy cattle. Complicated parturitions and retained placenta are factors facilitating contamination of the uterine lumen by environmental and opportunistic pathogens. Post-partum uterine infections are considered factors able to reduce animal welfare and fertility, causing economic losses and early animal elimination from the herd (Williams et al., 2007). The most common pathogens associated with metritis are Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes and anaerobes such as Fusobacterium necrophorum, Prevotella spp., alone or often in association (Sheldon et al., 2008; Williams et al., 2007). After parturition, the uterine microbial population can be very complex and follows an evolution in which a synergic effect can be exerted among bacteria conditioning the onset of a disease and future reproductive performance. Hence,