Prevalence of Intramammary Infection and Teat Canal Colonization In Unbred and Primigravid Dairy Heifers

Abstract

Teat canal keratin (n = 461) and mammary gland secretions (n = 370) were collected from 31 unbred and 85 primigravid Jersey heifers from one research and three commercial dairy herds. Of 97 heifers from which secretion samples were obtained, 96.9% had intramammary infections and 29% showed clinical symptoms. Seventy-five percent of quarters were infected. Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from 36 (37.1%) heifers and 55 (14.9%) quarters. One hundred and eight (93.1%) heifers and 326 (70.7%) quarters had teat canals colonized with mastitis pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from teat canal keratin samples from 36 (31%) heifers and 57 (12.3%) quarters. The three most common species isolated from secretion and teat canal keratin samples were Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus hyicus, and S. aureus. Secretions from infected (n = 240) and uninfected (n = 85) quarters had SCC of 13.6 X 10(6)/ml and 5.7 X 10(6)/ml. Macrophages were the most numerous cell type in secretions of infected and uninfected quarters. Quarters with teat canal colonization, but with no intramammary infections, exhibited higher SCC in secretion (9.3 X 10(6)/ml) than quarters without both teat canal colonizations and intramammary infections (4.9 X 10(6)/ml). Data indicated that intramammary infections and teat canal colonizations were more prevalent and SCC higher than previously realized in dairy heifers.

Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis of Staphylococcus hyicus and Staphylococcus chromogenes Genomic DNA and Its Taxonomic, Epidemiologic and Ecologic Applications in Veterinary Medicine.

“…Animal habitant species S. chromogenes and S. hyicus frequently colonize the bovine teat skin, teat canals, milk and interior of the mammary gland [8,41]. S. chromogenes is the most frequently isolated CNS from cows with subclinical or clinical mastitis [4,16,19,25] and IMI [40].…”

“…The coagulasenegative species S. chromogenes [15], originally described by Devriese et al [10] as S. hyicus subsp. chromogenes, is also commonly isolated from the udders and milk of cows suffering from mastitis [4,16,19,25] or bovine intramammary infections (IMI) [40,41]. The two species are a common component of the skin, nasal or tonsil flora of normal pigs, cows and chickens [7, 22, 33-35, 37, 39].…”

Genomic fingerprints ofStaphylococcus aureusof bovine origin by polymerase chain reaction-based DNA fingerprinting

“…However, S. aureus can persist for long periods in other body sites including the vagina, teat and skin lesions, the nares, and infected tonsils of cows [2]. Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infections in nulliparous heifers have also been reported [3] indicating that sources other than the lactating cow may serve as reservoirs of S. aureus in the dairy herd. Despite the availability of a variety of antibiotics and numerous reports on the sensitivity of S. aureus to antibiotics, success of treatment during lactation is still very low.…”

Partial budget analysis of prepartum antimicrobial therapy and Escherichia coli J5 vaccination of dairy heifers and their effect on milk production and milk quality parameters

“…The treatment groups were as follows: G1, n=8, intramammary infusion of all quarters with a antimicrobial dry cow preparation containing 400mg of novobiocin sodium plus 200,000 IU of penicillin G procaine (Albadry Plus ® , Pfizer Animal Health) 60 days before the expected parturition, as proposed by Trinidad et al (1990) and vaccination with an Escherichia coli J5 bacterin (Enviracor J5 ® , Pfizer Animal Health) at 60 and 30 days before the expected parturition and 15 after calving; G2, n = 9, intramammary infusion of all quarters with an antimicrobial dry cow preparation containing 400 mg of novobiocin sodium plus 200,000 IU of penicillin G procaine (Albadry Plus ® , Pfizer Animal Health) 60 days before the expected parturition; G3, n = 8, vaccination with an E. coli J5 bacterin (Enviracor J5 ® ; Pfizer Animal Health) at 60 and 30 days before the expected parturition and 15 days after calving and G4, n=8, no intramammary infusion and no vaccination.…”