October 2023. Module: U0005 Agro-Bioscience

Footrot in sheep

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How can we treat footrot?
1.Injectable antibiotics
2.Topical antibiotics
3.Foot bathing
4.Vaccination

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Dairy cattle 
mastitis
is
an inflammatory response of the udder tissue in the 
mammary gland caused due to physical trauma or microorganism infections
. It 
is considered the most common disease leading to economic loss in dairy 
industries due to reduced yield and poor quality of milk
This disease can be identified by abnormalities in the udder such as:
•
Swelling
•
Heat
•
Redness
•
Hardness
•
or pain (if it is clinical). 
Mastitis in dairy cattle

---

Bacteria that are known to cause mastitis include:
•
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
•
Staphylococcus aureus
•
Staphylococcus epidermidis
•
Streptococcus agalactiae
[2]
•
Streptococcus uberis
•
Brucella melitensis
•
Corynebacterium bovis
•
Mycoplasma
spp. (including
Mycoplasma bovis
)
•
Escherichia coli
(
E. coli
)
•
Klebsiella pneumoniae
•
Klebsiella oxytoca
•
Enterobacter aerogenes
[3]
•
Pasteurella
spp.
[4]
•
Trueperella pyogenes
[5]
(previously
Arcanobacterium pyogenes
)
•
Proteus
spp.
[6]
•
Prototheca zopfii
(achlorophyllic
algae
)
•
Prototheca wickerhamii
(achlorophyllic algae)
[6]
Mastitis in dairy cattle

---

Other indications of mastitis may be abnormalities 
in milk 
such as a 
watery appearance, flakes, or clots
. When infected with sub-clinical 
mastitis, a cow does not show any visible signs of infection or 
abnormalities in milk or on the udder
Mastitis in dairy cattle

---

The treatment 
and 
management
of mastitis, including 
drying off 
protocols
, surely represents the largest contributor to the total of 
antibiotic
use in dairy production. This is therefore a priority area 
for the development and implementation of alternative strategies 
that support animal health and milk quality while minimizing the 
use of antibiotics.
Mastitis in dairy cattle
Dry off protocols

---

Treatment
Treatment is possible with
antibiotics
- such as 
penicillin
, but milk 
from such cows is not marketable until drug residues have left the 
cow's system. Antibiotics may be 
systemic
(injected into the body), or 
they may be forced 
upwards into the teat 
through the teat canal 
(intramammary infusion). 
Cows being treated may be marked with tape to alert dairy workers, 
and their milk is syphoned off and discarded. To determine whether 
the levels of antibiotic residuals are within regulatory requirements, 
special tests exist. Vaccinations 
for mastitis are available, but as they 
only reduce the severity of the condition, and cannot prevent 
reoccurring infections, they should be used in conjunction with a 
mastitis prevention program.