Principles of Mastitis Treatment in Sheep and Goats

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Principles of treatment of mastitis during lactation

In small ruminants, no detailed protocols for treatment of mastitis, as have been developed in cows,3 are available. There is one established rule for the treatment of mastitis, however: the combination of speed and efficacy. Treatment should start immediately after detection of the first signs of the disease and should be performed using effective antimicrobial agents.4 Development of disease and subsequent damage to the gland is rapid; histologic lesions in the mammary gland are evident

Administration of antimicrobial agents at drying off

Administration of antimicrobial agents at drying off of ewes/does is not a treatment as such, because the treated animals are not always ill. It is an important part of control programs against mastitis, however. Administration of antimicrobial agents at drying off has two objectives: (1) to eliminate existing intramammary infections, which may cause recrudescence of clinical disease during the dry period, and (2) to prevent new infections during the dry period, when ewes/does are particularly

Detection of inhibitors in milk

Because intramammary and parenteral antimicrobial products are not approved for use in sheep and goats in most of the world and because milk withdrawal periods cannot be extrapolated from those required for dairy cattle with dependability,19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 veterinarians and farmers must use test kits to detect inhibitors in the milk before shipping for human consumption. Although these tests when used under farm or veterinary clinic environments are not comparable in accuracy to regulatory

Summary

This short article indicates the principles for treatment of mastitis in ewes/does and explains reasons why treatment may occasionally fail. Moreover, it presents the principles for administration of antimicrobial agents at drying off of the animals. Finally, it addresses the risk of antimicrobials present in milk when improper withdrawal periods are used and the issues around testing for inhibitors before putting the milk into in a farm’s tank.

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Cited by (56)

  • Influence of management and farm characteristics on microbiological quality and physico-chemical features of sheep milk produced in Tuscany farms (Italy)

    2022, Small Ruminant Research
    Citation Excerpt :

    The mammary gland may, however, get colonized by a variety of bacteria from the teat surface, air, feed, water, milking equipment, and other external sources during and after milking (Quigley et al., 2013). Mastitis represents the principal cause of increased SCC in milk, and it is one of the main problems of dairy sheep farms leading to significant production losses, decreased milk quality, increased veterinary costs, and decreased animal welfare (Mavrogianni et al., 2011). Factors influencing udder health and milk hygiene in intensive dairy systems are well documented (Leitner et al., 2004; Sinapis, 2007; Caroprese, 2008), while literature about semi-extensive or extensive sheep dairy systems is scarce.

  • Udder surgery in ewes

    2019, Small Ruminant Research
    Citation Excerpt :

    After completing surgery in teat injuries, thelotomy or thelectomy, antmicrobial agents should be administered systematically and also possibly with intramammary infusion for a period of 3 days post-operatively. The principles of administration of antimicrobial agents in mammary disorders have been reviewed by Mavrogianni et al. (2011). More recent findings regarding potential resistance of staphylococci from ewes’ udder samples (i.e., the most frequently recovered bacteria) and relevant literature references have been presented by Vasileiou et al. (2019).

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The authors have nothing to disclose.

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