[Efficacy of extended intramammary therapy to treat moderate and severe clinical mastitis in lactating dairy cows]

Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 2010 Mar-Apr;123(3-4):147-52.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Streptococcus uberis and Staphylococcus aureus are important mastitis pathogens in dairy cows in the entire world. Recent publications showed that an extended therapy can be more efficient in combating such intramammary infections. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an extended intramammary therapy to treat moderate and severe mastitis cases in lactating dairy cows under field conditions in northern Germany. From December 2005 to August 2007, a total of 157 clinical mastitis cases on 10 farms in northern Germany were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned (blocked by parity and body temperature) to one of two treatment groups (intrammammary lincomycin/neomycin 1.5-d (ALK) or 5-d (ALL)). Clinical, microbiological and cytomicrobiological cure rates were evaluated. Treatments were initiated before culture results. Cows were observed and evaluated on d 1 to 6, 19 and 26. Six cases in 157 (3.8%) resulted in a therapy change in between 48 h after mastitis detection. Overall, treatments were not significantly different to controls regarding clinical cure rate. However, when the microbiological cure rate was evaluated, differences were observed. ALL appeared form infections. We conclude that in farms with Streptococcus uberis mastitis, the 5-d extended lincomycin/neomycin treatment regimen was significantly more efficient in microbiological cure than the standard 1.5-d treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / drug therapy
  • Cattle Diseases / microbiology
  • Dairying
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Lactation / drug effects
  • Lactation / physiology*
  • Lincomycin / administration & dosage
  • Lincomycin / therapeutic use
  • Mastitis, Bovine / drug therapy*
  • Neomycin / administration & dosage
  • Neomycin / therapeutic use
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary
  • Streptococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Lincomycin
  • Neomycin