Mastitis diagnosis

NIR spectra of cow s composite and udder quarter milk subjected to multivariate data analysis contain information about milk abnormality and cow health disorders. Models for NIRS measurement of SCC in composite and udder quarter cow s milk have been developed. Models for simultaneous measurement of electrical conductivity and somatic cell count, as well as for identification of the main bacterial pathogens causing mastitis are described further. NIR spectroscopy has proved to be a valuable tool for mastitis diagnosis and for milk quality evaluation. 

Acute clinical mastitis is characterised by a range of visible cardinal inflammation symptoms. These are used in the diagnosis of the disease and can be divided into rubor (redness), tumor (swelling), dolor (pain), calor (warmness) and functio laesa (dysfunction, represented by secretory alterations like flakes, clots and aqueous milk secret). However, not all five symptoms... 

Sub-clinical mastitis, on the other hand, has no visible symptoms and can only be diagnosed with laboratory methods (Wendt et al., 1994) (see below). The diagnosis of sub-clinical mastitis depends on two parameters, the microbiological profile of sampled milk and the somatic cell count (Hamann and Fehlings, 2002). The different severity levels of mastitis and symptoms used in diagnosis are described in Table 11.3. 

However, in case of acute clinical mastitis, it is widely accepted that animal welfare considerations should take prevalence. If both farmer and veterinarian are not familiar with non-antibiotic treatments, they should be advised to use broad-spectrum antibiotics immediately, because any delay (e.g. the 2-3 days it often takes between diagnosis and the return of microbiological test results) may seriously harm the animal. This approach should, however, only be taken after a sound clinical diagnosis, since antibiotic treatments themselves may lead to dramatic aggravation of the condition. For example, E. coli inflammations are able to develop into severe toxaemia, because increased levels of toxins are released into the animal tissues when E. coli cells are killed or stressed by antibiotic treatments. Also, if yeasts are the main cause or form part of the pathogen complex that causes mastitis, their growth and proliferation may be supported by the administration of anti-bacterial antibiotics (Crawshaw et al., 2005). 

Sharif, A., Ahmad, T., and BUal, M. Q. 2007. Estimation of milk lactose and somatie cells for the diagnosis of sub-ehnieal mastitis in dairy buffaloes. Int. J. Agric. Biol. 9 267-270. 

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