Alternatives to Antimicrobial Treatment in Bovine Mastitis Therapy: A Review

Abstract

Despite preventive and therapeutic measures, mastitis continues to be the most prevalent health problem in dairy herds. Considering the risks associated with antibiotic therapy, such as compromised effectiveness due to the emergence of resistant bacteria, food safety issues, and environmental impact, an increasing number of scientific studies have referred to the new therapeutic procedures that could serve as alternatives to conventional therapy. Therefore, the aim of this review was to provide insight into the currently available literature data in the investigation of non-antibiotic alternative approaches. In general, a vast number of in vitro and in vivo available data offer the comprehension of novel, effective, and safe agents with the potential to reduce the current use of antibiotics and increase animal productivity and environmental protection. Constant progress in this field could overcome treatment difficulties associated with bovine mastitis and considerable global pressure being applied on reducing antimicrobial therapy in animals.

Effects of pre-dipping and post-dipping protocol on the incidence of bovine mastitis

“…Currently, breeders use intramammary antimicrobials for extreme cases, without regular technical follow-up. Tomanić et al (2023) that this is the main technique used globally, indicating safer alternatives such as the use of vaccines.…”

The mechanistic role of natural antimicrobials in preventing Staphylococcus aureus invasion of MAC-T cells using an in vitro mastitis model

“…Bovine mastitis’s etiology can be attributed to an array of factors, ranging from contagious pathogens, nutritional inadequacies to inadequate farm management practices. Clinically, this disease is marked by conspicuous milk alterations like elevated coagulant levels, often accompanied by other prominent symptoms in the animal, including fever, clear signs of infection and inflammation, discernible upon inspection [ 4 ]. In contrast, subclinical mastitis (SCM) poses diagnostic challenges; cows typically seem unaffected and neither the udder nor the milk displays noticeable changes [ 8 ].…”

“…A particular subset of bovine mastitis induced by environmental pathogens exhibits a spike in the somatic cell count (SCC), which carries its own economic burdens owing to the enhanced cell counts in milk [ 8 ]. Notably, SCM, despite its covert nature, is the more common form and incurs greater economic losses than its clinical counterpart [ 4 ]. However, the implications of Staphylococci extend beyond the realm of bovine health as they are prominent nosocomial pathogens, with over 50 Staphylococcus spp and subspecies being implicated in bovine staphylococcal mastitis [ 6 ].…”

Study of Mastitis Incidence in Cows of Dairy Farms in East Kazakhstan: Impacts of Nutrition, Endometritis and Mycotoxin Contamination

“…Mastitis is a major economic concern for dairy farmers, as it can lead to reduced milk production and quality, increased veterinary costs, decreased reproductive efficiency, and increased time and labor costs. Effective prevention and control measures are necessary to minimize the economic impact of mastitis on dairy farming operations (Tomanić et al, 2023;Suwito and Nugroho, 2019).…”