t. A large number of dairy cows in Ukrainian farms suffer from subclinical mastitis, which leads to significant economic losses in agriculture. Conditioned upon the lack of clinical manifestations it is difficult to detect, in particular, explained by insufficient information about the microbial composition of milk. The ban on the use of antibiotics for productive animals is forcing new safe and effective remedies. The aim of the study was to determine the therapeutic effect of Bacillus megaterium NCH 55 in subclinical mastitis of Holstein cows. Research materials – milk of cows with subclinical mastitis, isolates of microorganisms and B. megaterium NCH 55. Methods used: California test for mastitis; microscopic test to count the total number of somatic cells by the method of Prescott and Britt; bacterial method for the study of microorganisms; polymerase chain reaction to determine Mycoplasma spp. in milk; spectrophotometry; method VI Brillis to determine the adhesive properties of Bacillus megaterium NCH 55; determination of antagonistic properties of B. megaterium by diffusion into agar wells; the method of flow cytometry using the device “SomaCount Flow Cytometer”; physiological. The experiment was conducted in dairy farms of the North-Eastern region of Ukraine: LLC agrofirm “Lan”, LLC agrofirm “Vorozhbalatinvest”, LLC agrofirm “Vladana” in the period February-August 2021. Isolates of S. aureus, S. agalactiae, E. coli enterohemorrhagic, E. coli, Candida, E. fecalis, S. epidermidis and Mycoplasma spp. were detected in milk samples from cows with subclinical mastitis. Microscopic studies have shown that Bacillus megaterium NCH 55 are white gram-positive rods that have low adhesive properties and form spores. The greatest antagonism of B. megaterium is shown in relation to bacterial isolates in concentration of 1×109 , CFU/g. In 70% of cows that reached a productivity of more than 30 kg/day on the 30th day of research, milk parameters such as the number of somatic cells (CSC ≤400 thousand/cm3 ) and the number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (kMAFANM) (≤100 thousand CFU/cm3 ) corresponded to the class “Extra”. The recovery time of animals with subclinical mastitis depended on the degree of damage to the breast and individual characteristics of the organism. Cows that did not reach a productivity of 30 kg/day continued treatment individually. The number of somatic cells in the milk of cows was ≤500 thousand/cm3 and kMAFAnM ≤200 thousand CF/cm3

While moving along the milk-conducting systems in a milking machine, milk is in contact with the inner surface whose area exceeds 20 m2. That leads to the formation of protein-fat biofilms of contamination, which are a nutrient medium for the development of microorganisms. With insufficiently effective cleaning of these contaminants, in the periods between milking, the number of microflorae located in milk-conducting systems increases by tens of thousands of times. When cleaned with ineffective cleaning agents, mineral elements from milk are adsorbed on the surface of a protein-fat bio-film, which are subsequently compacted, changed, and converted into milk stone. In this case, the technical implementation of milk conducting systems is of critical importance. It has been established that a milk line made from any material is better cleaned with a hot washing solution than a cold one. Thus, with an increase in the temperature of a washing solution from 60 °C to 85 °C, the cleaning time of the milk line is reduced from 9.5 minutes to 1.5 minutes, or by 6 times. It was established that during the washing phase of a milk line there is a significant decrease in the temperature of the washing solution (≈30 %), which reduces the effectiveness of cleaning the parts of the system. Therefore, there is a need to maintain the solution temperature throughout the entire cleaning process. It is proved that the specific energy of adhesion of pollution in water is 2 times higher than that in a washing solution. With an increase in the temperature of the solution for every 10 °C, the decrease in the specific energy of pollution adhesion is on average 13 %. With an increase in the period after the end of milking before washing the milk line, the specific energy of its purification increases. The study reported here could lead improve the productivity of milking machines and the quality of the resulting product. That involves designing milking and dairy equipment from innovative materials.

Research of the frequency of increased ketone bodies in cows during the transition period three weeks before calving and three weeks after calving should determine the tendency of the Holstein breed to ketosis. It is also important to investigate the relationship between changes in blood biochemical parameters and the development and treatment of ketosis. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of using a probiotic strain of bacteria in subclinical ketosis in cows during drying off and after calving. The following methods were used: testing for determining the level of beta-ketones in the blood of cows; biochemical method of blood testing; clinical method; statistical method. A study of cows in the drying off group showed that the level of β-ketones ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 mmol/L. Application efficiency of Bacillus Pumilus L. A 56 in a concentration of 1×109 , CFU/g at a dose of 30 g per animal was determined to be 100%. In the study of metabolic changes in the body of cows after calving patients with ketosis, the content of total protein, albumins globulins of the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase, and urea at the beginning of the study was increased and went beyond the maximum permissible limits of the reference level. After seven days of using the probiotic, the content of ketone bodies and biochemical parameters decreased to normal. It was proved that at the end of the study, the activity of alanine aminotransferase increased, the level of potassium, vitamins A and E increased. Thus, it was determined that the enzyme alanine aminotransferase is one of the metabolites, an increase in the level of which indicates the accumulation of lipids in the liver. In addition, the content of Ca, P, and vitamin D decreased during treatment, which indicates the risk of hypocationemia. In the group of cows after calving, the incidence of ketosis was 27%. The therapeutic efficacy of a probiotic of 35 g per animal in the postcalving distribution group was 73%. The practical value of the study lies in the prevention of subclinical ketosis in cows in deep drying off and after calving, reducing the cost of treating concomitant diseases, and culling animals

Показник запліднюваності є одним з маркерів ефективність галузі тваринництва, проте благополучному утворенню і закріпленню зиготи в слизовій оболонці матки можуть перешкоджати не лише різні запальні процеси, а й імунологічні реакції поствакцинального комплексу. Попередні спостереження за станом запліднюваності корів в господарстві вказували на суттєве зниження цього показника як раз після проведення вакцинації проти сибірки. Результати досліджень, наведені в статті показують достовірне зменшення  показника запліднюваності. На нашу думку, це пов’язане з імунологічними процесами в організмі провакцинованих корів, яких осіменяли. Тобто, стимульована під час вакцинації імунна система не здатна гальмувати свою роботу в окремо взятих статевих шляхах, тому й заважає прикріпленню успішно утвореної при заплідненні зиготи до слизової матки, що в підсумку закінчується безпліддям і настанням повторної охоти. Отримані результати дозволяють стверджувати, що вакцинація тварин проти сибірки і особливо період активного формування поствакцинального специфічного імунітету знижують показники відтворення у корів: показники запліднюваності знижувалися на 16,2%  протягом першого тижня після вакцинації та на 50% протягом другого у порівнянні з показниками тварин, які осіменялися до початку вакцинації З’ясовано, що у корів, яких осіменяли під час імунологічного навантаження, відмічене збільшення тривалості термінів неплідності – відповідно на 12,7%  та 38,6%. Економічні розрахунки показали, що збитки від недоотримання телят в групі корів, осіменених безпосередньо після вакцинації, були в 2,7 разів більші, а в групі корів, осіменених на другому тижні після вакцинації, – відповідно в 3,5 рази вищі, ніж у корів, яких осіменяли до вакцинації.  Збитки від недоотримання молока в цих групах збільшилось відповідно на 7,6 % та 38,4%.

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