Potential for use of high-dose oxytocin to improve diagnosis of mastitis in dairy cows and beef suckler cows

摘要

Background In dairy cows, detection of clinical mastitis is routinely achieved either manually by a skilled herdsman or automatically in automated milking systems by in-line measurement of somatic cell count (SCC), lactate dehydrogenase or electricalconductivity. Detection of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows is typically achieved using repeated measurement of SCC, a value in excess of 200K cells/ml being regarded as indicative of infection. In beef suckler cows relatively little attention is paidto mastitis, perhaps because it is assumed to occur at low frequency. A recent study of 125 cows from 12 Swedish beef suckler herds revealed 14% non-lactating quarters, recoverable mastitis pathogens in 41% of cows, intra-mammary infection in 13% of quarters and SCC >200K in 18% of quarters (Persson Waller et al 2012). It is not safe to assume that beef suckler cows have a low frequency of mastitis infection. Since diagnosis is difficult, a significant welfare problem may exist, especially in relation to chronic sub-clinical mastitis.