Mastitis in a cow: causes, symptoms and home treatment, prevention

The reason why it is customary to keep cows is to get milk regularly. A decrease in the volume of milk yield, a deterioration in the quality of the product, a change in the general condition of the cow may indicate the development of mastitis. This is a serious disease that must be treated correctly and in a timely manner. The disease is especially susceptible to cows undergoing an adaptation period after calving.

Main causes of mastitis in cows

Mastitis is called inflammation of the mammary gland in a cow. The udder increases in size, ulcers form on the surface of the udder. The cow is in pain, in some animals the body temperature rises, behavior changes, and the state of he alth worsens significantly.Treatable forms of mastitis affect a quarter of the udder. At the same time, the part that is not covered with ulcers, is not enlarged or inflamed, produces normal milk.

Bacteriological

More than 85 percent of the causes of mastitis are based on the spread of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, parasites. Factors that lead to the development of mastitis:

• poisoning with poor-quality food;
• litter gets into feed, mixing of feces and feed;
• violation of sanitary and hygienic standards when keeping animals;
• lack of cow care after calving.

Mechanical

Udder injuries occur when the milking technique is violated. In addition, the group of mechanical causes includes the appearance of abrasions, scratches, bites of horseflies and parasitic insects on the udder.

Help! Mechanical damage to the udder occurs when cows graze among bushes with sharp thorns, when cows pass among lumber, and when walking together with other animals.

Physiological

Decreased immunity is one of the causes of morbidity in cows. Poor housing conditions after calving, which do not allow the cow to recover quickly, lead to the formation of physiological prerequisites for the development of mastitis.

Physiological causes may be errors in the diet. Lack of vitamins and minerals, monotonous food and minimal drinking lead to a decrease in immune mechanisms. The group of physiological causes includes violations during the milking process.

Improper teat grip, lack of udder hygiene, use of utensils that touch the udder during milking lead to discomfort that can provoke illness.

Chemical

Treating an animal for a symptomatic disease can lead to the development of mastitis. This is due to improper selection of drugs or an overdose of drugs.The accumulation of various chemical elements in the body leads to a decrease in protective barriers. In the presence of a third-party provoking factor, mastitis develops in 2-3 days.

Thermal

Mastitis develops due to the constant stay of the animal in a room with a low temperature. The risk of disease increases during drafts in hot weather.

Symptoms and types of disease

Pathology is classified according to the main features. A clear separation of symptoms allows the use of targeted drugs for treatment.

Catarrhal

Cows are susceptible to the catarrhal type of the disease during the milking period. Signs:

• appearance of nodes near the nipple on the udder by the fifth day of inflammation;
• watery dirty secret mixed with milk;
• milk becomes lean;
• flakes fall out with milk.

Information! The catarrhal form is formed on one of the shares of the udder.

Subclinical

Subclinical breast type is characterized by an asymptomatic course. The deterioration of milk quality is determined by biological clinical analysis.

At the initial stage, there are no symptoms, but with the development of the disease, there is a significant swelling of the udder. The entire surface of the udder is veined, the body temperature of this part of the body rises.

Chronic

Chronic type of mastitis develops against the background of an untreated inflammatory process. It is difficult to diagnose in a timely manner due to the lack of severe symptoms. One of the signs may be the presence of a hot udder on the cow during milking.

Serous (clinical), acute serous

This type of mastitis develops after the first calving. It becomes the result of improper milking or injury to the udder.

Symptoms:

• flake sediment;
• swelling and redness of part of the udder;
• increased lymph nodes located above the udder.

Help! Serous mastitis is characterized by the appearance of bluish milk.

Fibrous

Fibrous form often becomes a continuation of the catarrhal form. In the tissues of the representatives of cattle with fibrous inflammation, an increased amount of fibrin begins to be produced. This process leads to the destruction of the tissue structure and subsequent necrosis. Key Features:

• reducing the amount of milk;
• discharge of udder pus;
• increased body temperature;
• hot udder syndrome.

Kolimastitis

A complex form that is not amenable to therapy. Signs:

• cessation of lactation;
• a sharp increase in temperature (up to 42 degrees);
• weight loss, dehydration.

Purulent

The purulent form leads to complications. Symptoms:

• udder redness, knots;
• pus discharge;
• highlight and fall flakes.

Purulent clots are actively formed if the cow has a cold in the udder.

Purulent-catarrhal

A complex form of purulent mastitis, which is expressed by the appearance of pus in the milk. During milking, pus clogs the milk ducts, preventing the excretion of milk.

Hemorrhagic

The hemorrhagic form develops on the basis of serous or catarrhal inflammation of the udder. Signs:

• appearance of blood in milk;
• watery milk;
• sludge settling;
• swelling, temperature rise in the udder.

Gangrenous

The form designation indicates that a quarter or a third of the udder is to be removed. Udder necrosis develops rapidly, the surface loses sensitivity, the veins increase in size.

Diagnosis

There are several options by which you can determine the presence of the disease. In addition to external signs, when making a diagnosis, veterinarians are guided by clinical studies.

Diagnostic Methods	Description	Features
Physical and chemical	Determining the acidity index of milk	The ability to identify the latent period disease development
Cytological	Samples for the study of sediment	Determination of all forms diseases
Microbiological	Smears and samples from different parts of the udder	Opportunity identify pathogens

Diagnosis of mastitis in cows is carried out constantly. This is due to the fact that latent forms of the disease are difficult to determine by appearance. The optimal time for diagnosis is the dry period. During the dry period, diagnostics are carried out twice:

• early dead wood;
• 10-15 days before calving.

A he althy cow is distinguished by the presence of an increased amount of secretion at an early stage.It has a gray-white tint. Flakes are completely absent. The second analysis indicates a decrease in secretion to 3-5 milliliters. It acquires a yellowish-brown hue, is characterized by increased viscosity and ductility.

After calving, the risk of developing mastitis increases. When starting, it is recommended to gradually monitor the condition of the udder so as not to miss the first possible signs of violations. The start is called the period, which is characterized by the milking of the cow after calving. At this time, he althy milk remains liquid, watery, but without impurities. In the second month of launch, after burnt milk, a secret of a golden hue is released from the udder, which looks like liquid honey. If this does not happen, then the cow is probably sick.

Help! Colostrum is secreted from the nipples for the first 5 or 7 days.

Treatment of mastitis in cows

For each form, pathologists have developed special treatment regimens. These include the use of targeted drugs and treatments to improve overall he alth.

Principles of complex therapy:

• cannot ignore the development of the disease;
• glands should not be completely emptied of the secret;
• at the initial stage, attempts should be made to do without antibiotics;
• food with increased juiciness should be removed from the diet;
• when using serious drug therapy, it is necessary to connect cardiac and tonic drugs;
• should milk a cow every 4 or 5 hours;
• ointments, lotions or compresses used should be at room temperature, comfortable for the animal;
• syringes and catheters should be disposable;
• if there are no formations on the udder, a simple massage is recommended to remove the seals.

Antibiotics

Treat with antibiotics based on bicillins is started when the disease is complicated by a deterioration in the general condition.

Drugs for combination treatment:

1. Maximax. An antimicrobial agent that is produced in a dosing syringe.
2. "Benstrep". A two-component drug that suppresses the spread of gram-positive bacteria.
3. "Penmicin". The drug is prescribed to eliminate pathogens, but it does not help with the development of the fungus.
4. "Doreen". An antimicrobial agent that can relieve the symptoms of mastitis in 2 days, subject to the regimen.

Compresses and lotions are made with local antibiotics. Ichthyol ointment is used as an antimicrobial and warming agent. It helps to dissolve lumps formed due to blocked ducts.

In addition to it, Vishnevsky ointment or heparin ointment is used. The drugs help improve blood flow, spread congestion and improve tissue condition.

Folk remedies

Experienced farmers manage to cure mastitis in cows at home, using improvised means. Alternative, folk methods can quickly and effectively improve the condition of the animal.

Effective methods:

1. Appliques with clay. Nettle decoction is mixed with white clay. The resulting mixture is applied to the udder, then washed with a warm decoction of plantain.
2. Tincture of garlic. The concentrated alcohol-garlic tincture is diluted with water and injected into the udder twice daily through the teat canal.
3. Vegetable compresses. Cabbage leaves or grated carrots are applied to the udder, tied up, left for 30 minutes.
4. Rubbing with laundry soap. Rubbing the udder with laundry soap leads to the resorption of formations. At the same time, the soap produces an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect.
5. Ointment treatment. For cooking, take part of the lard and part of the dried calendula flowers. The flowers are ground until dust is formed, mixed with lard. The resulting ointment is rubbed on the nipples, then washed with warm water.

Information! During treatment, the cow is isolated from other animals.

Prevention

Preventive measures, according to farmers, help to avoid the appearance of mastitis. Cure inflammation is much more difficult than following the rules when planning the housing and care of cattle.

Key preventive measures:

1. Each milking begins with a wipe or wash of the udder. The ingress of bacteria into milk leads to a deterioration in the quality of the product. In addition, bacteria can get inside the nipple, causing inflammation.
2. The udder is washed using warm water. This helps to avoid the development of thermal factors that provoke inflammation. After washing, wipe the entire surface with a dry warm cloth.
3. Noticeable wounds, abrasions or scratches on the udder that the cow received during the walking process are treated with hydrogen peroxide or iodine to avoid the development of irritations.
4. After detecting dryness or cracked nipples, regular treatment with moisturizers is carried out. To do this, use a nourishing baby cream.

The set of preventive measures includes the following items:

• daily walking;
• regular examination of the animal, timely therapeutic assistance;
• adding enzymes, vitamins, probiotics to the diet;
• compliance with safety regulations at the hotel;
• joint stay of a cow and a calf the first days after calving;
• use of modern milking machines.

The group of preventive measures includes compliance with the rules of detention. Rooms for cows should be clean, bright. Daily surface cleaning of stalls. General cleaning is done weekly. Old drinkers or feeding equipment require timely replacement. In winter, indoor temperatures and humidity must be maintained at an optimal level.

Vaccination is a way to keep a cow he althy and reduce the risk of developing mastitis. For cows, one of two vaccination schemes is used:

1. 3:3:3. This is the way when all livestock are vaccinated. The vaccine is repeated after 3 weeks, then after 3 months.
2. Classic scheme. The first vaccine is administered 45 days before the expected calving. The second vaccine is administered 35 days after the birth of the offspring. The cow is vaccinated for the third time 62 days after the second vaccination.

Startvac is a popular mastitis vaccine that shows good results. The vaccine consists of inactivated strains and an adjuvant. Vaccination prevents up to 90 percent of cases of subclinical and clinical mastitis.

Can I drink the milk of sick animals

The milk product during the development of inflammation was called "mastite milk". The use of this product is prohibited. From the very beginning of the disease, somatic cells develop in the composition of milk. An increased number of cells makes milk harmful to human he alth.

Mastitis milk has consequences:

• diarrhea;
• nausea, vomiting;
• angina, other infections caused by streptococcus.

The presence of harmful microorganisms in milk can provoke a decrease in immune qualities and a deterioration in overall well-being.

Spoiled milk has a foreign, unpleasant smell. Precipitation forms at the bottom. When heated, the milk curdles, the taste differs from the normal product. In homemade mastitis milk, impurities of pus or blood are often present.

After the recovery of the animal, several weeks must pass before the milk is suitable for consumption. During this time, the number of somatic cells is stabilized, as well as the normalization of the chemical composition, and the adjustment of the fat content.

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