This research communication aims to test the hypothesis that B-Mode, colour Doppler ultrasonographic measurements and characteristics can identify mastitis in dairy cows. A total of 102 lactating cows were divided into 3 groups: cows in which all mammary quarters were CMT-negative, cows with CMT-positive mammary quarters and cows with clinical mastitis in at least one quarter. Colour Doppler ultrasonography measurements of the supramammary lymph nodes revealed that distortion-type vascular morphology, the rate of type 4 vascular densities and the incidence of mixed-type vascular distributions were highest in the clinical mastitis group, whereas the frequency of avascularity in supramammary lymph nodes was highest in the CMT-negative group. All differences were significant. In conclusion, the use of B-mode and colour Doppler ultrasonographic measurements of the supramammary lymph nodes can provide useful information about the current condition of mastitis in cows, although its diagnostic potential remains to be determined.

No abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the environmental factors including, birth season, lactation number, age, and service period, on the annual average lactation milk yield and lactation period of the Italian Mediterranean Buffaloes that were milked by rotary milking systems. The research was carried out on the data of 347 buffaloes in a modern dairy farming between 2016 and 2018 years. Their annual average lactation milk yield and lactation period were found to be 1587.55 ± 33.82 L and 247.66 ± 4.39 days. It was observed that the prolonged service period had a positive effect on the total lactation milk yield and lactation period. The season did not affect the lactation milk yield, but the lactation period was longer in the buffaloes calving in winter months. The service period has a direct effect on the economic profitability, and it was observed that the service periods of buffaloes calving in winter was shorter. It was also determined that milk productivity was positively affected due to the increase in age and lactation number, but there were wide variations in the herd. In conclusion, age, lactation number, and service period were efficient on the annual average milk yield and lactation period, but, on the other hand, the season did not affect the annual average milk yield. More breeding studies are required to minimize variations in buffalo herds milked by different milking techniques.

The teat canal-one of the primary defense mechanisms of the udder-ensures the milk ow during milking in bovines and prevents pathogens from entering the udder by forming a barrier through the elastic muscle and keratin layers tightly closing the surrounding area. The current study investigated the effects of blood calcium status on teat closure in cows after milking. The study covered 200 healthy teats, of which 100 were from normocalcemic (NC) cows and 100 were from subclinical hypocalcemic (SCH) cows. Teat canal length (TCL) and width (TCW) were measured with ultrasonography at 0-min premilking and 15-and 30-mins post-milking. Cylindrically shaped teat canal volume (TCV) was calculated by deriving from TCL and TCW. Time-dependent changes in teat canal closure and their relationships with blood calcium levels were analyzed. The results showed that the calcium level did not affect TCL, TCW, and TCV (P > 0.05) during the 15 minutes post-milking period. However, TCL (P < 0.001), TCW (P < 0.05), and TCV (P < 0.001) were higher in NC cows than in SCH cows at 30 minutes post-milking. At 15 minutes post-milking, no correlation existed between the teat canal closure (ΔTCL, ΔTCW, and ΔTCV) and the blood calcium level, while signi cant correlations were available between the teat canal closure and the blood calcium level {ΔTCL (r:-0.288, P < 0.001), ΔTCW (r:-0.260, P < 0.001), ΔTCV (r:-0.150, P < 0.05)} at 30 minutes post-milking. The current study concluded that the blood calcium status signi cantly impacts the teat canal closure in bovines, and calcium status should be meticulously monitored with the mastitis control program to apply necessary strategic steps.

The maternal recognition process is crucial for the establishment of healthy pregnancy. In this process, anti‐luteolytic applications are one of the main reproductive strategies to manage the embryonic losses and maximize reproductive profitability in farm animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of post‐mating NSAID treatments on reproductive parameters (pregnancy rate, lambing rate, multiple birth rate, litter size) and serum progesterone levels in ewes stimulated with progesterone non‐breeding season. For this purpose, two different experiments (diclofenac and carprofen) were conducted in the same ewe flock induced with short‐term progestogen‐based protocol in the non‐breeding season for two consecutive years. In experiment 1 (n = 85), 42 ewes were injected with 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac on the 9th and 10th days post‐mating, and the rest were not treated and served as control. In experiment 2 (n = 82), 40 ewes were injected with 1.4 mg/kg carprofen on the 9th days post‐mating, and the rest were not treated as control. In both experiments, blood samples were collected from all ewes on days 9, 12 and 13 post‐mating to measure serum progesterone levels. In both experiments, there were no differences both reproductive parameters and serum progesterone levels when compared to the control groups. It was concluded that post‐mating diclofenac and carprofen treatments in the critical period have no significant effects on both reproductive parameters and serum progesterone levels in ewes in the non‐breeding season.