AYHAN BAŞTAN, SEÇKİN SALAR, MEHMET CENGİZ, İSFENDİYAR DARBAZ, MÜRŞİDE AYŞE DEMİREL, DOĞUKAN ÖZEN

The prediction of the prevalence and risk factors for subclinical heifermastitis in Turkish dairy farms

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for subclinical heifer mastitis and to create a model that can predict the prevalence of subclinical mastitis of pregnant heifers in farms in Turkey. Lacteal secretion samples were taken from 439 pregnant (6-9 months) heifers and bacteriological analyses were performed. In this study, 37.47% of the samples were determined to be infected. In lacteal secretion samples, the isolation rate of coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus was 44.83% and 35.71%, respectively. The incidence of mastitis was calculated as 42.87 ± 4.12%. An eight-question survey was conducted. Using the data collected, a multiple linear regression analysis using backward stepwise method was used to predict the incidence of mastitis. According to the multiple regression model, the number of animals, well-balanced ration, separating the cows in dry periods into different boxes, and contact of heifers with older cows significantly contributed to the model (P < 0.05). Coefficient of determination (R2) for the model was estimated at 93.8%. Today, with the knowledge of risk factors for pregnant heifers, changes in management would be beneficial to prevent mastitis. Additionally, this study showed that predictive models for the incidence of mastitis could be conducted through comprehensive future studies.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Heifers, regression model, risk factors, subclinical mastitis

The prediction of the prevalence and risk factors for subclinical heifermastitis in Turkish dairy farms

Keywords:

Heifers, regression model, risk factors, subclinical mastitis,

PDF

___

Piepers S, de Vliegher S, de Kruif A, Opsomer G, Barkema HW. Impact of intramammary infections in dairy heifers on future udder health, milk production, and culling. Vet Microbiol 2009; 134: 113–120.
Owens WE, Nickerson SC, Washburn PJ, Ray CH. Prepartum antibiotic therapy with a cephapirin dry-cow product against naturally occurring intramammary infections in heifers. Vet Med B 1994; 41: 90–100.
Oliver SP. Mastitis in heifers: prevalence, strategy for control during the periparturient period, and economic implications. In: Proceedings of the British Mastitis Conference. Shepton Mallet, UK: BMC; 2000. pp. 1–13.
McDougall S, Parker KI, Heuer C, Compton CWR. A review of prevention and control of heifer mastitis via non-antibiotic strategies. Vet Microbiol 2009; 134: 177–185.
Harmon RJ, Eberhart RJ, Langlois DE, Wilson RA. Microbiological Procedures for the Diagnosis of Udder Infection. Arlington, VA, USA: National Mastitis Council; 1990. pp: 1–34.
Baştan A. İneklerde Meme Sağlığı ve Sorunları. 2nd ed. Ankara, Turkey: Kardelen Ofset; 2013 (in Turkish).
Oliver SP, Lewis MJ, Gillespie BE, Dowlen HH. Antibiotic residues and prevalence of mastitis pathogen isolation in heifers during early lactation following prepartum antibiotic therapy. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B 1997; 44: 213–220.
Oliver SP, Gillespie BE, Ivey SJ, Lewis MJ, Johnson DL, Lamar KC, Moorehead H, Dowlen HH, Chester ST, Hallberg JW. Influence of prepartum pirlimycin hydrochloride or penicillin- novobiocin therapy on mastitis in heifers during early lactation. J Dairy Sci 2004; 87: 1727–1731.
Middleton JR, Timms LL, Bader GR, Lakritz J, Luby CD, Steevens BJ. Effect of prepartum intramammary treatment with pirlimycin hydrochloride on prevalence of early first- lactation mastitis in dairy heifers. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005; 227: 1969–1974.
Fox LK, Chester ST, Hallberg JW, Nickerson SC, Pankey JW, Weaver LD. Survey of intramammary infections in dairy heifers at breeding age and first parturition. J Dairy Sci 1995; 78: 1619–1628.
Myllys V. Staphylococci in heifer mastitis before and after parturition. J Dairy Res 1995; 62: 51–60.
Aarestrup FM, Jensen NE. Prevalence and duration of intramammary infection in Danish heifers during the peripartum period. J Dairy Sci 1997; 80: 307–312.
Fox LK. Prevalence, incidence and risk factors of heifer mastitis. Vet Microbiol 2009; 134: 82–88.
Pyorala S, Taponen S. Coagulase-negative staphylococci-- emerging mastitis pathogens. Vet Microbiol 2009; 134: 3–8.
Taponen S, Pyörälä S. Coagulase-negative staphylococci as cause of bovine mastitis—not so different from Staphylococcus aureus? Vet Microbiol 2009; 134: 29–36.
Sampimon OC, Barkema HW, Berends IMGA, Sol J, Lam TJGM. Prevalence and herd-level risk factors for intramammary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci in Dutch dairy herds. Vet Microbiol 2009; 134: 37–44.
Acar DB, Cengiz M, Baştan A. Heifer mastitis: prevalence, risk factors and pathogenesis. Atatürk Üniversitesi Vet Bil Derg 2012; 7: 137–146 (in Turkish with abstract in English).
Barkema HW, Deluyker HA, Schukken YH, Lam TJGM. Quarter-milk somatic cell count at calving and at the first six milkings after calving. Prev Vet Med 1999; 38: 1–9.
Malinowski E, Kłossowska A, Kaczmarowski M, Kuźma K. Prevalence of intramammary infections in pregnant heifers. Bull Vet Inst Pulawy 2003; 47: 165–170.
Tenhagen BA, Hansen I, Reinecke A, Heuwieser W. Prevalence of pathogens in milk samples of dairy cows with clinical mastitis and in heifers at first parturition. J Dairy Res 2009; 76: 179–187.
Bastan A, Cengiz M, Cengiz S, Polat B, Colak A, Akan M, Darbaz I, Acar DB. Effects of precalving antibiotic treatment on mastitis and individual somatic cell count in heifers. J Anim Vet Adv 2010; 9: 1245–1249.
Waage S, Mİrk T, Rİros A, Aasland D, Hunshamar A, Odegaard SA. Bacteria associated with clinical mastitis in dairy heifers. J Dairy Sci 1999; 82: 712–719.
Ruegg P. Heifer mastitis: how to help heifers calve clean. In: Proceedings of Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference. Geneva, Switzerland: Dairy Calf and Heifer Association; 2011. pp. 5–6.
Waller KP. Host resistance to mastitis. In: Cronjé PB, editor. Ruminant Physiology: Digestion, Metabolism, Growth, and Reproduction. New York, NY, USA: CABI Publishing; 2000. pp. 449–462.
Oliver SP, Gillespie BE, Headrick SJ, Lewis MJ, Dowlen HH. Prevalence, risk factors, and strategies for controlling mastitis in heifers during the periparturient period. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med 2005; 3: 150–162.