One factor contributing to differences in the susceptibility of cows to mastitis may be differences in the teat skin normal flora, which could inhibit or enhance the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Using in vitro cross-streaking methods, we found that 25% of the isolates of teat normal flora of non-lactating heifers inhibited the growth of selected mastitis pathogens, but enhancers were not detected. Gram-positive pathogens were inhibited to a greater extent than Gram-negative pathogens. Inhibition was not a characteristic of specific genera or species of normal flora, but rather a property of certain variants within a species. This phenomenon of inhibition of mastitis pathogens in vitro by normal flora may be useful as an in vivo biological control method to reduce the incidence of mastitis.
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