Cow's mastitis

Causes and symptoms of mastitis in cows

 

The main causes of mastitis in cows are: genital diseases, raw bedding, udder contusions, draughts, violation of milking rules, unsanitary conditions of the animal.

 

If the animal is kept in poor conditions, microbes from the skin and dirty bedding penetrate into the udder. Mastitis is more likely to develop if the udder nipples or skin is damaged.

Acute mastitis in cows is very easy to diagnose: there are clots of protein in the milk (often with blood impurities), the udder becomes hot, swollen and painful, and the animal becomes sluggish. Temperatures increase and appetite decrease. Udder swelling often spreads to neighbouring tissues and abscesses begin. Udder gangrene can develop, which often leads to the death of the animal. However, in 95% of cases, cow mastitis is chronic. The fat content of the milk becomes lower in this case. Milk acquires a heterogeneous watery consistency. It visualizes clots and flakes. Sometimes the appearance of milk is quite satisfactory, but when palpation of the udder of the cow is determined by seals, which indicate a chronic inflammatory process inside the mammary gland.

 

• Subclinical mastitis. Without special tests, it is difficult to determine the disease. Inflammation of the mammary gland runs unnoticed, and the milk has a normal appearance. The hidden mastitis in cows is not diagnosed by external symptoms. To make a precise diagnosis, it is necessary to count somatic cells and analyze the flora, which is released along with the milk from the udder of the animal. If no subclinical mastitis is detected in time, the disease will turn into clinical mastitis in a few months. Depending on the pathogen, which may cause subclinical mastitis, this disease is found in herds in 2-10 times the proportion of clinical mastitis;
• Acute serous mastitis. Serous mastitis in cows can develop immediately after calving. In this case, the cow has redness, swelling and swelling of the udder. The affected part of the breast becomes dense and hot. Mastitis in the cow after calving reduces milk yield. Milk becomes watery, heterogeneous and may contain white flakes;
• Catarrhal mastitis. Cow's catarrhal mastitis can develop throughout the lactation period, but more often than not during the first weeks of milking. In this case, only one quarter of the breast starts to get inflamed. The udder looks healthy. The udder and nipples are often not affected by noma. However, on 3-5 days of mastitis at the base of the nipple can be found small, pea-sized nodules. Sometimes nodules near the nipple may reach the size of a pigeon egg. They are formed because of clogging of the ducts with milk clots. The general condition of the animal is quite satisfactory. Milk yield decreases and the milk itself becomes more liquid and may contain casein flakes. Sometimes there are clots in the milk that can hardly pass through the teat canal;
• purulent mastitis. Pushy mastitis in cows is characterized by an increase in the volume of the affected part of the udder. It is painful and has a higher temperature. Milk becomes watery, brackish and yellowish due to pus impurities. The animal becomes sluggish, refuses to eat. The cow's body temperature can rise up to 40-41 degrees;
• Clinical mastitis. Clinical mastitis in cows is noticeable without laboratory tests. Milk is released in lumps and flakes, making it unsuitable for consumption. The clots present in the milk are formed by casein, leukocytes and epithelium. Despite the pronounced signs, mastitis is not very acute. With moderate mastitis udder becomes painful, swollen and hard. Increases the temperature of the part of the breast where there is an inflammation. Udder swelling develops due to clogging by clots of milk ducts, which prevent the free flow of milk from the alveoli. If mastitis is not treated, clinical signs become more pronounced. The inflammation spreads to all udders and abscesses can develop;
• Hemorrhagic mastitis. Hemorrhagic mastitis in cows is an acute udder inflammation, which is characterized not only by the release of pus, swelling and redness of the breast in the cow, but also by hemorrhages in the thickness of tissues, milk ducts and lumen of the alveoli. Hemorrhagic mastitis is one of the most complicated forms of catarrhal mastitis. The disease often occurs in the first days after calving. Half of the udder is affected at once.

• Hemorrhagic mastitis causes an increase in local temperature and udder swelling. The skin is covered with purple spots. The cow's milk becomes watery, reddish and contains casein flakes. When the cow is examined, she is in a depressed state, characterized by sluggishness, reduced appetite and increased body temperature. The nipples become swollen and swollen, and the affected part of the udder - increased and dense. Milk yield is reduced even from healthy parts of the udder;
• Fibrous mastitis. Fibrous mastitis in cows is accompanied by an increase in the volume of the affected part of the udder. Determination of mastitis in cows is carried out in a tactile way. When touched, there is a feeling of compaction and painfulness in the mammary gland. Body temperature can increase up to 40-41 degrees. The animal has no appetite. Yield from the first days of the disease is sharply reduced. Crumbs and clots of yellow color are found in milk. Milk becomes yellow-green because of the presence of pus. In 3 days after the beginning of the disease lactation stops. When milking, only the serum and a small part of pus are secreted. Even with timely treatment, lactation does not fully recover;
• purulent-catarrhal mastitis. Purulent-catarrhal mastitis in cows is accompanied by a stop of lactation or a sharp decrease in milk yield. Milk is not released from the affected breast area at all or it becomes salty, bitter and watery. There are clots in the milk. Milk often gets a reddish shade. The temperature in the mammary gland rises. The affected quarter of the udder becomes swollen and reddish. The elevated lymph node becomes enlarged. The animal has no appetite, and breathing and pulse rate increase. After a while, the body temperature rises to 40-41 degrees Celsius. After 4 days, the symptoms of acute illness become weaker. Acute mastitis passes or becomes chronic;
• Chronic mastitis. In chronic mastitis, milk is usually normal in cows. Inflammatory process runs unnoticed. The number of pathological bacteria decreases. But even if somatic cells are reduced, udder infection can continue for a long time. Untreated infections can cause not only inflammation, but also re-growth of somatic cells.