Heifer teats sprayed in the dry period with an iodine teat sanitizer have reduced Streptococcus uberis teat-end contamination and less Streptococcus uberis intra-mammary infections at calving

Vet Microbiol. 2009 Feb 16;134(1-2):186-91. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.09.027. Epub 2008 Sep 12.

Abstract

Heifers managed under pastoral conditions are at risk from Streptococcus uberis mastitis infections at calving. A total of 397 heifers from six farms around New Zealand were enrolled in a study to identify and enumerate S. uberis on teat-ends of heifers in the peri-partum period, and to understand the effect of teat-spraying in the pre-calving period on the prevalence and incidence of S. uberis mastitis post-calving. Heifers were randomly assigned to Control or Sprayed groups. Sprayed heifers were teat-sprayed once, three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) with a commercial iodine-based teat sanitizer, starting at 3 weeks prior to calving and ending at day of calving. Across three farms, all glands of cows in both groups were sampled at calving to determine S. uberis intra-mammary infection (IMI) prevalence. For all farms, clinical mastitis (CM) cases detected during the week after calving were sampled and submitted for bacteriological analysis. Swabbing of teat-ends of 54 heifers from one farm showed that heifers had a pre-existing S. uberis contamination averaging 610 colony-forming units per swab (cfu/swab), at 3 weeks prior to calving. At calving, teat-end contamination was 560 cfu/swab for Sprayed heifers and 1775 cfu/swab for Control heifers. Two weeks after calving, teat-end contamination was similar between both groups, at 30 cfu/swab. The prevalence of S. uberis IMI was significantly lower in the Sprayed (3.5% glands) vs. the Control (7.4%) heifers in the first week after calving. There was a trend for Sprayed heifers (3.6% heifers) to have a lower incidence of S. uberis CM compared with Control heifers (7.4% heifers). It is concluded that teat-spraying in the dry period is a management option that could contribute to controlling heifer S. uberis mastitis in the transition period.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Husbandry
  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local / therapeutic use*
  • Cattle
  • Female
  • Iodine / administration & dosage
  • Iodine / therapeutic use*
  • Lactation
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / microbiology*
  • Mastitis, Bovine / drug therapy
  • Mastitis, Bovine / prevention & control*
  • Streptococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Streptococcal Infections / prevention & control
  • Streptococcal Infections / veterinary*
  • Streptococcus / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents, Local
  • Iodine