Survey of Intramammary Infections in Dairy Heifers at Breeding Age and First Parturition

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine and contrast prevalence of IMI in nulligravid and primigravid dairy heifers pre- and postpartum. Contrasts were made to evaluate the risk factors of location of dairy, trimester of gestation, and season of sampling on IMI. Twenty-eight dairies in California, Louisiana, Vermont, and Washington were studied. Lacteal secretions were collected aseptically from heifers at breeding age (8 to 19 mo) from one side of the gland and again at 4 d postpartum from all quarters. Of the quarters sampled, 65.6% prepartum and 64.0% postpartum were free of IMI. The percentages of quarters with IMI from coagulase-negative staphylococci or Staphylococcus aureus IMI were 27.1 and 9% prepartum and 21.8 and 2.9% postpartum. Staphylococcus aureus IMI were most prevalent in Louisiana during the months other than summer. Location, herd, and season significantly influenced prevalence of IMI. The prevalence of IMI was greatest during the last trimester of pregnancy, ranging from 49.2% in the winter to 36.8% in the summer. The significant effects of herd location and season suggest that management variables influence prevalence of heifer IMI. Because prevalence of IMI was greatest during the last trimester of pregnancy compared with prevalence during earlier stages of pregnancy, the heifer may be most susceptible to this disease during this period of first gestation.

Alternativas en el manejo de la mastitis en novillas

“…A nivel del hato se incluyen factores como: la ubicación geográfica, donde climas húmedos y cálidos favorecen la presencia de mastitis por SA y Micoplasma (38). También el inadecuado control de ectoparásitos (39), la alta prevalencia de IIM en las vacas adultas (40), y el suministro de leches mastiticas a las terneras de levante (30,41).…”

“…presentan mayor prevalencia de SA en comparación con hatos en el noroeste del mismo país que poseen marcados cambios estacionales. Además, ciertos aspectos en el manejo de los hatos pueden influir en la prevalencia de IIM por SA, como la presencia de IIM en vacas adultas causadas por SA, además de fallas en el control de ectoparásitos principalmente moscas de los cuernos, que han sido vinculadas con la transmisión de IIM por SA (38,47 …”

Etiologia das infecções intramamárias em vacas primíparas ao longo dos primeiros quatro meses de lactação

“…Produtores e técnicos, normalmente, adotam medidas preventivas para as vacas em lactação, considerando os animais jovens refratários à infecção . Os primeiros relatos de mastite em vacas primíparas datam das décadas de vinte e trinta (STABELFORTH et al, 1935), mas somente os trabalhos realizados a partir dos anos 70 demonstraram a sua importância, principalmente no que se refere à diminuição na produção de leite (MUNCH-PETERSEN, 1970;OLIVER & MITCHELL, 1983;FOX et al, 1995).…”

Bovine Teat Atresia Associated with Horn Fly (Haematobia irritans irritans(L.))-induced Dermatitis

“…2,5,12,15,17 Mastitis associated with suckling by penmates or abnormal hormonal conditions in heifers has been reported. However, most studies of heifer mastitis involve peripartum mastitis of dairy heifers contaminated by environmental pathogens such as Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Corynebacterium bovis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., Escherichia coli, and Mycoplasma spp.…”

“…1,2,5,6,14 In heifers, horn flies have been associated with Staphylococcus spp.-induced mastitis in primigravid, dairy heifers as well as with ''summer mastitis,'' an acute suppurative infection of the mammary gland associated primarily with Arcanobacterium pyogenes. Both conditions present with indurated quarters having a fetid purulent secretion.…”