Mastitis in Post‐Partum Dairy Cows

Abstract

Transition from the dry period to lactation is a high risk period for the modern dairy cow. The biggest challenge at that time is mastitis. Environmental bacteria are the most problematic pathogens around parturition. Coliforms are able to cause severe infections in multiparous cows, and heifers are likely to be infected with coagulase-negative staphylococci. During the periparturient period, hormonal and other factors make the dairy cows more or less immunocompromised. A successful mastitis control programme is focused on the management of dry and calving cows and heifers. Clean and comfortable environment, proper feeding and adequate supplementation of the diet with vitamins and trace elements are essential for maintaining good udder health. Strategies which would enhance closure of the teat canal in the beginning of the dry period and would protect teat end from bacteria until the keratin plug has formed decrease the risk for mastitis after calving. Dry cow therapy has been used with considerable success. Yet, a selective approach could be recommended rather than blanket therapy. Non-antibiotic approaches can be useful tools to prevent new infections during the dry period, in herds where the risk for environmental mastitis is high. Vaccination has been suggested as a means to support the immune defence of the dairy cow around parturition. In some countries, implementation of Escherichia coli core antigen vaccine has reduced the incidence of severe coliform mastitis after calving.

Associations between lipid metabolism and fertility in the dairy cow

“…The reduction in the ability to mount an effective immune response is influenced by the extent of NEB around calving (Pyörälä 2008;Wathes et al 2009) because it is an energetically demanding process (Fox et al 2005). Acute infections cause local insulin resistance (Drobny et al 1984) and we have shown previously that a-2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, isozyme 4 (PDK4), two genes implicated in insulin resistance, are upregulated in the endometrium when cows are in severe NEB, with the expression of both genes showing a significant positive correlation with circulating NEFA concentrations .…”

Characteristics of mammary secretions from Holstein cows at approximately 10 days before parturition: with or without intramammary infection

“…In dairy cows, incidence of intramammary infections increases during and around the dry period of a lactation cycle (Oliver and Sordillo 1988;Pyörälä 2008), and such infection may be a cause of mastitis in the early lactation stage. The incidence of clinical mastitis actually increases after calving (Bradley and Green 2004).…”

“…The incidence of clinical mastitis actually increases after calving (Bradley and Green 2004). To prevent mastitis early after parturition, diagnosis, management, and therapeutics during the dry period are important (Pyörälä 2008), resulting in preventing or decreasing milk production losses in the early stage of lactation. Foremilk and milk contain proteins derived from plasma and tissue in addition to milk-specific proteins (Wall et al 2015).…”

<b>Milk composition and blood metabolic profile from holstein cows at different calving orders and lactation stages

“…Animals at the first calving showed the lowest value of SCC compared to animals at the second calving order. Animals at the first calving have less contact with infectious agents, which confirms the lowest result of SCC (Pyörälä, 2008). Moreover, animals that had multiple lactations and consequently older age have higher chances of infection.…”