ANTIMICROBIAL TREATMENT OF FRESH Cows WITH SUBCLINICAL GRAM-POSITIVE MASTITIS

摘要

Subclinical mastitis is a major contributor to the bulk tank somatic cell count (SCC). Dairies with a moderate to high bulk tank SCC and a low clinical mastitis rate can expect to have a number of cows with subclinical mastitis. The problem is identifying the subclinical, high SCC cows and then deciding what to do with them once they are found. Identifying the high SCC cows is relatively easy on herds that utilize DHI testing on a regular basis. However, not all high SCC cows need treated, nor is itcost effective to treat all high SCC cows. Antimicrobial treatment should be reserved for those cows that treatment is likely cure. These cows are those that are relatively early in lactation with gram positive, environmental mastitis (Staph spp. and Strep spp.) and are not chronically breaking with clinical mastitis despite treatment. This study compared the cure rates of fresh cows with subclinical Gram-positive mastitis with and without intramammary antimicrobial treatment.