Differences between coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species in persistence and in effect on somatic cell count and milk yield in dairy goats

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the most commonly isolated bacteria from goat milk. The goal of this study was to explore and describe differences between CNS species in persistence of intramammary infection (IMI) and in effect on somatic cell count (SCC) and milk yield (MY). Milk samples were collected from 530 does from 5 Dutch dairy goat herds on 3 occasions during 1 lactation. Coagulase-negative staphylococci species were identified at the species level by transfer RNA-intergenic spacer PCR (tDNA-PCR) followed by capillary electrophoresis. The most prevalent CNS species were Staphylococcus caprae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus simulans, and Staphylococcus xylosus, but large differences were seen in species distribution between herds. Staphylococcus caprae and Staph. xylosus appeared to be more persistent than other species, but confidence intervals were overlapping. The effect of IMI caused by the 4 most prevalent CNS species on SCC and on MY was determined with linear regression models, and Staph. aureus and Corynebacterium bovis were included in the analyses as reference organisms. Most species were associated with a significantly higher SCC than noninfected udder halves, but the effect of CNS species on SCC was much smaller than the effect of Staph. aureus on SCC. We found a significant positive association between infection with Staph. caprae and MY. Intramammary infection caused by Staph. xylosus, on the other hand, had a negative association with milk yield, comparable to the effect of Staph. aureus, but these effects were not significantly different from zero. Intramammary infections with CNS species have a high prevalence in goats and are persistent, but have a limited effect on SCC compared with IMI with Staph. aureus. The effect of CNS species on MY differed between species, but differences were nonsignificant because limited numbers per species were available for analysis. Therefore, CNS species appear to behave as minor pathogens in goats, but larger studies are needed to give better estimates for the effect on MY.     

Effect of subclinical intramammary infection on somatic cell counts, NAGase activity and gross composition of goats' milk

The study was aimed at identifying the pathogens causing subclinical udder infections in representative Israeli dairy goat herds and determining their effect on milk quality. Five hundred goats in ten flocks of various breeds and crossbreeds were surveyed. Of the 500 goats, 13.4% were in their first lactation, 36.4% were in their second lactation and 50.2% were in their third or higher lactation. Percentages of udder halves with subclinical intramammary infection in the flocks ranged from 35 to 71%. The effect of the bacteriological infection on somatic cells count (SCC) was significant (P<0.001). Various species of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), mainly Staphylococcus caprae and Staphylococcus epidermidis, were the main pathogens in infected udder halves. Lactation number did not significantly influence either infection rate of udder halves or SCC, although the percentage of udder halves with no bacteriological findings was higher at the first lactation than at the third lactation. Milk composition (fat, protein and lactose) varied among flocks, with lower mean total protein in uninfected halves than in infected ones and higher lactose in uninfected than infected halves.     

Influence of intramammary infection and non-infection factors on somatic cell counts in dairy goats

A total of 1304 goat udder halves were sampled monthly during an entire lactation (6262 samples) with the aim of identifying factors affecting milk somatic cell count (SCC). Bacteriological analyses for identification of mastitis pathogens were carried out on all samples and SCC was also determined. All animals were examined for infection by caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) using a commercial ELISA test kit. Results obtained were arranged in two databases (whole-lactation average half-udder database and monthly half-udder database) and two mixed models were applied. Random effects of half udder nested into flock and fixed effects of flock, intramammary infection (IMI) status, number of kids born, length of lactation and interaction of parity with IMI status were significant for the first database. CAEV infection and its interaction with IMI status was not significant. Milk SCC was significantly increased for infected udder halves and milk from udder halves infected with minor pathogens had lower SCC than udder halves infected with major pathogens. For healthy udder halves, SCC was higher in older animals but this effect was not evident in halves with IMI. Multiple birth and short-duration lactation were factors associated with elevated milk SCC. The second mixed model considered repeated measures in time for consecutive samplings throughout lactation (stage of lactation) which was also a significant factor with increasing stage of lactation. The influence of all these factors should be taken into account in the establishment of more reliable diagnostic SCC thresholds for IMI.     

Association of coagulase-negative staphylococcal species,mammary quarter milk somatic cell count,and persistence of intramammary infection in dairy cattle

This study was conducted to evaluate the association between subclinical intramammary infection (IMI) with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), mammary quarter milk somatic cell count (SCC), and persistence of IMI in dairy cattle. Convenience samples of CNS isolates harvested from milk samples of subclinically infected mammary quarters collected between 4 and 2 wk before drying-off, between 2 wk before drying-off and the day of drying-off, within 24 h after calving, between 1 and 2 wk after calving, and during lactation were evaluated. Isolates were obtained from the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network culture bank and were identified to the species level using rpoB gene sequencing. Cow and quarter-level data were obtained from the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network database and used for statistical analyses. In addition, for mammary quarters that had more than one isolation of the same CNS species at different time points, the isolates were evaluated using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to identify persistent IMI. Milk SCC was compared between mammary quarters infected with different CNS species and to a cohort of uninfected mammary quarters. A total of 877 isolates from 643 mammary quarters of 555 cows on 89 Canadian dairy farms were identified to the species level. Twenty different species were identified, with Staphylococcus chromogenes being the most common species identified (48% of isolates), followed by Staphylococcus simulans (19%) and Staphylococcus xylosus (10%). Of the 20 species identified, only 9 species were found in persistently infected quarters. Milk SCC was significantly higher in the CNS-infected mammary quarters than in the uninfected control quarters for 8 of the 20 species studied. Also, mean SCC differed significantly between mammary quarters infected with different CNS species. Within a given species, a high degree of variability was noted in milk SCC. These data corroborate recent data from Europe with regard to the predominance of certain species of CNS (e.g., Staph. chromogenes). In addition, some species of CNS appear to have a greater effect on milk SCC. Finally, some CNS species are associated with persistent IMI suggesting that some species (e.g., Staph. chromogenes and Staph. simulans) are better host-adapted, whereas others may have an environmental reservoir.     

Quarter- and cow-level risk factors for intramammary infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci species in Swiss dairy cows

Bacteriological status, evaluation of udder symmetry, udder hygiene, and teat end scores of 92 dairy cows were assessed on 3 Swiss dairy farms in a longitudinal 1-yr study to determine risk factors for intramammary infection (IMI) with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) species. Farm visits were performed monthly including sterile quarter milk sampling and udder evaluation of all lactating cows. Milk samples were evaluated for the presence of staphylococci using selective agar plates. Species identification was performed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Intramammary infection was defined as milk samples having ≥100 cfu per mL of milk according to culture results. Overall, 3,151 quarter samples were included in the statistical analysis. Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus xylosus, and a Staphylococcus warneri-like species were the 4 most prevalent CNS species found. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression models were built to evaluate risk factors for species-specific CNS IMI. Risk factors for Staph. chromogenes IMI were presence in herd B, the period from June 2014 to August 2014 and December 2014 to February 2015, and presence of udder edema. For Staph. haemolyticus, the relevant risk factor included coinfection with Staph. xylosus coinfection with other than the above-mentioned CNS species (“others”) and the period from June 2014 to November 2014. Coinfection with Staph. haemolyticus and “others,” the periods from June 2014 to August 2014 and December 2014 to February 2015, early phase of lactation (1–60 d in milk), and belonging to herd B were significantly associated with Staph. xylosus IMI. Mid and late lactation, coinfection with Staph. xylosus, and the period September 2014 to May 2015 were identified as significant risk factors for Staph. warneri-like IMI. For Staph. chromogenes, 60.6 and 26% of the variance was observed at the quarter and cow level, respectively, whereas for the other investigated species the highest variance was observed at the sample level. The predominant species within herds differed and was most pronounced for the Staph. warneri-like species.     

Detecting intramammary infection at the end of lactation in dairy cows

To reduce antimicrobial use, infusion of antimicrobials into only infected cows at the end of lactation (selective dry cow therapy) is preferable to infusion of every cow with antimicrobials. Use of selective dry cow antimicrobial therapy requires differentiation of probably infected from uninfected cows to enable treatment allocation. Milk somatic cell count (SCC) has been used to distinguish between cows with and without intramammary infection (IMI). However, SCC may be influenced by milk yield, stage of lactation, breed, and herd-level variables such as prevalence of infection. Cut points for SCC, to distinguish between cows with and without an IMI, may need to differ between cow age groups and breeds, or among herds. This study evaluated associations between SCC and major pathogen IMI in one or more quarters of 2,606 cows from 36 herds in 4 regions of New Zealand. In the last week of lactation, cows selected at random had milk samples collected from each quarter, and the teat-end condition and hygiene of the udder were scored. Herd- and cow-level data including age, breed, milk volume, and SCC at each production were recorded, and bulk tank milk SCC and volume of milk shipped were collated. At cow level, the association between average, maximum, and last cow-composite SCC, and presence of a major pathogen IMI in one or more quarters of cows, was examined using receiver operator curves. Predictive logistic regression models were then developed that included potential effect modifiers such as age, milk yield, and bulk tank milk SCC. The population average prevalence of major pathogen IMI was 7.2% of cows (95% confidence interval = 5.9–8.6), and this varied significantly between herds. The average, maximum, and last cow-composite SCC of lactation were all predictive of presence of a major pathogen IMI and did not differ in their ability to discriminate infected from uninfected cows. However, the optimal cut points for the last SCC, the maximum SCC, and average SCC were 108, 152, and 105 × 1,000 cells/mL, respectively. Inclusion of age, bulk tank SCC, and history of clinical mastitis improved overall model fit. However, inclusion of these variables did not improve the discriminatory power of maximum cow-composite SCC used alone. We conclude that cow-composite SCC on its own resulted in sensitivities and specificities of between 0.76 and 0.86, and 0.71 to 0.80, respectively, for determination of presence of major pattern IMI, and the predictive value was not improved by addition of other predictor variables.     

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from chronically infected dairy goats

A herd of 88 Alpine goats in Northern Italy was monitored for a complete lactation. Milk samples were taken from each udder half during 8 monthly visits. Goats (n = 28) with ≥2 consecutive positive tests for Staphylococcus aureus in the same udder half were identified as chronically infected, and all of those had ≥4 positive tests of the 8 samples. Goats with no infections in either udder half during any visit were considered healthy (n = 26). Linear mixed models were used to examine the relationship between chronic infection by S. aureus and SCC and production traits. The bacteria isolated from one sample from each infected goat were genotyped on the basis of polymorphism in several genes and evaluated for the presence of genes encoding for enterotoxins. The bacteria isolated from each animal were also subject to a test for β-lactamase production and to minimum inhibitory concentration tests for 11 antimicrobial agents. As expected, SCC (log₂) was significantly higher in infected goats than in healthy goats (7.55 vs. 5.50). Also, mean log SCC from infected udder halves (8.02) was greater than that in uninfected udder halves from the same goats (6.44). No significant differences were observed in milk yield or for fat and protein percentages between infected and healthy goats. No genetic variability was observed among the bacteria isolated, suggesting that all were from the same strain, although isolates did vary in susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents. All S. aureus isolates were negative for the β-lactamase production test. The most effective drugs when tested in vitro were benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, cloxacillin, and cephalosporins.     

Heifers infected with coagulase-negative staphylococci in early lactation have fewer cases of clinical mastitis and higher milk production in their first lactation than noninfected heifers

Intramammary infections (IMI) in recently calved dairy heifers are more common than was formerly believed but their relevance for future performance has been studied only rarely. In the present study, the association between the IMI status of fresh heifers and their subsequent udder health, milk production, and culling in first lactation was explored. Quarter milk samples were collected between 1 and 4 d in milk (DIM) and between 5 and 8 DIM from 191 dairy heifers in 20 dairy herds for bacteriological culturing and somatic cell count (SCC) analysis. Monthly milk recording data including composite milk SCC and test-day milk yield (MY) were obtained for the first 285 DIM or until culling. Farmer-recorded clinical mastitis cases were available. Data were analyzed using mixed models and survival analysis. Approximately 80% of the fresh heifers (79.8%) had at least one culture-positive quarter. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were the most frequently isolated pathogens (72%), followed by esculin-positive streptococci (4.6%) and Staphylococcus aureus (3.5%). Overall geometric mean SCC at quarter level decreased between the first and second samplings from 348,000 to 116,000 cells/mL. Heifers infected with CNS had an intermediate average test-day SCC (84,000 cells/mL) during the first 285 DIM compared with noninfected heifers (53,000 cells/mL) and heifers infected with major pathogens (195,000 cells/mL). Heifers infected with major pathogens had a much lower average daily MY (18.3 kg) during first lactation compared with noninfected animals (21.3 kg). That CNS-infected heifers out-produced their noninfected counterparts could be at least partially explained by their significantly lower incidence of clinical mastitis (incidence risk 3.6 vs. 21.0%) during first lactation compared with noninfected heifers. We conclude that although CNS cause the majority of IMI in heifers around calving, they should not be a reason for serious concern.     

Distribution of somatic cell count and udder pathogens in Norwegian dairy goats

Compared with dairy cows, goat somatic cell count (SCC) is higher and probably more affected by physiological factors such as parity, stage of lactation, and season. Thus, SCC is believed to be a less precise indicator of intramammary infections in dairy goats, and no consensus exists on SCC thresholds for considering goats as infected. The Norwegian Goat Recording System maintains individual goat production records and results from microbiological analyses of milk samples. In this retrospective observational study, we used recordings over a 10-yr period (2010 to 2020) to describe the association between individual goat SCC and noninfectious factors, as well as intramammary infections. The median SCC in the 1,000,802 milk recordings included in the study was 440,000 cells/mL, and the mode was 70,000 cells/mL. Somatic cell count increased with parity, days in milk, estrus, pasture season, and intramammary infections. The effect of parity and stage of lactation was significantly higher in infected compared with uninfected goats. Staphylococci dominated as causes of intramammary infections, with Staphylococcus aureus as the udder pathogen associated with highest SCC. The most prevalent non-aureus staphylococci were Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus caprae. This study provides guidelines for interpretation of goat SCC at different parities and stages of lactations under Norwegian management conditions. We revealed a considerable variation in SCC associated with physiological factors, indicating that the cutoff for identifying infected goats should be a dynamic threshold adjusted for parity, stage of lactation, and season.     

Subclinical mastitis and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus caprae and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from two Italian goat herds

A total of 156 goats from 2 commercial dairy goat farms were monitored for intramammary infections during an entire lactation. Most of the infections (80.7%) observed were due to coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) species. In herd 1, nearly all of the infections (96%) were due to CNS species, with Staphylococcus caprae (SCAP) being the most common specific pathogen observed, accounting for about 43% of the infections. In herd 2, the proportion of the infections due to CNS was 67% and Staphylococcus epidermidis (SEPI) was the most common pathogen (48% of infections) and SCAP was not present. Linear somatic cell scores (SCS) were greater in milk from infected udder halves, with an average difference of 0.78 SCS. The SCS for infected udder halves was greater than noninfected for all CNS species, although differences among species were observed. The ranking across CNS species was SCAP > other CNS > SEPI > no infection. However, infections by SEPI tended to be more persistent. Increased SCS was associated with a statistically significant decrease in milk yield, but no effect was observed for intramammary infections (IMI). Ninety-seven isolates of CNS (53 SCAP and 44 SEPI) were investigated for in vitro susceptibility to several antimicrobial agents. Benzylpenicillin was the most effective antimicrobial agent against SCAP and SEPI. A concentration of 0.05 microg/mL was sufficient to inhibit growth of 90% of SCAP colonies, and 0.10 microg/mL yielded a similar effectiveness for SEPI. Amoxicillin and the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid were only slightly less effective. Tetracycline (62.5 microg/mL) and tilmicosin (500 microg/mL) were the least effective treatments for SEPI and SCAP, respectively.     

Infection dynamics across the dry period using Dairy Herd Improvement somatic cell count data and its effect on cow performance in the subsequent lactation

In this study, we studied infection dynamics across the dry period using test-day somatic cell count (SCC) data from 739 Holstein cows from 33 randomly selected commercial dairy herds in Flanders, all of which applied blanket dry-cow therapy at dry-off. First, we determined infection dynamics, combining the last test-day SCC before dry-off and the first test-day SCC after calving. Next, we determined the effect of dry period infection dynamics, adjusting for the level of the second test-day SCC after calving, on the evolution of test-day SCC and milk yield (MY) and on clinical mastitis and culling hazard in the subsequent lactation. Using an SCC threshold of 200,000 cells/mL, 12.6% of the cows considered healthy before dry-off acquired a new intramammary infection (IMI) across the dry period, whereas 66.9% of the cows considered infected before dry-off cured from IMI. Infection dynamics across the dry period significantly affect a cow's SCC, clinical mastitis risk, and culling hazard in the subsequent lactation. Cows with a new IMI, a cured IMI, or a chronic IMI across the dry period had higher test-day SCC than healthy cows, and their test-day SCC evolved differently over time. This was not the case for test-day milk yield, for which no association with infection dynamics was detected. Furthermore, cows with a second test-day SCC <200,000 cells/mL had a lower test-day SCC in the remainder of the lactation than cows with a second test-day SCC ≥200,000 cells/mL, but this association was modified by infection dynamics across the dry period. The lowest test-day SCC in the remainder of the lactation was observed for cows that remained healthy across the dry period combined with a low (<200,000 cells/mL) second test-day SCC. Cows that cured from an IMI present at dry-off and cows with a chronic IMI across the dry period were more likely to develop clinical mastitis (hazard ratio = 2.22 and 2.89; 95% confidence interval = 1.45–3.43 and 1.60–5.20, respectively), and chronic IMI cows were more likely to be culled (hazard ratio = 3.68; 95% confidence interval = 1.64–8.20) in the subsequent lactation compared with healthy cows. This was not true for cows that became infected across the dry period. This study underlines the importance of good udder health management during lactation to prevent IMI at dry-off rather than curing infected cows during the dry period to ensure optimal udder health in the subsequent lactation.     

Quantification of milk yield and composition changes as affected by subclinical mastitis during the current lactation in sheep

The aim of this work was to quantify, on a half-udder basis, the changes in ewe milk yield and composition caused by unilateral subclinical mastitis within the current lactation. Fluctuations due to production level, infection severity, time from the onset of infection, and lactation curves were also studied. Yield and composition of milk from half-udders of unilateral infected ewes were compared between them and with a set of healthy halves using a mixed model. The experiment was completed with a whole-udder approach on the same animals. To test the effect of intramammary infection (IMI) in the 7 wk following the onset of infection, 20 ewes that acquired unilateral subclinical mastitis during lactation and 40 healthy ewes were used. Another group of 20 unilaterally infected ewes from wk 1 of lactation and other 40 healthy ewes were studied to test the effect of IMI on lactational milk yield and composition. The individual milk loss in ewes infected during lactation was 15% for the 7 wk following the onset of infection, and 6.6% more milk was produced by the uninfected half to compensate milk lost by the infected half. Lactational milk yield loss in ewes infected from wk 1 postpartum was 17%. The changes in milk yield were noticed from the week of infection diagnosis. The production level of animals influenced the milk yield changes caused by IMI in such a way that the more productive ewes lost more milk, although these losses were proportional to their production level. On the other hand, infection severity affected milk loss between glands, being more pronounced as somatic cell count increased. A clear decrease of lactose content and casein:protein ratio due to subclinical IMI was observed and it remained throughout the postinfection period. Improving udder health status is necessary to maintain milk production and quality in dairy ewes during lactation.     

Dynamics of intramammary infections in suckler ewes during early lactation

Mastitis is an important problem in meat-producing sheep, but few studies have investigated the transmission dynamics of mastitis pathogens in these animals. The objective of this study was to describe the pathogens causing intramammary infections (IMI) in suckler ewes, their effect on somatic cell count, and the dynamics of these IMI in early lactation. We enrolled 15 sheep flocks early after lambing and selected ewes in each flock that were sampled twice with a 3-wk interval. Milk samples from both glands of each ewe were bacteriologically cultured, and somatic cell count was measured. Non-aureus Staphylococcus spp. were the most prevalent culture results. Somatic cell counts were most strongly increased in ewes infected with Mannheimia haemolytica, whereas staphylococci, including Staphylococcus aureus, were associated with a moderate increase in somatic cell count. The proportion of udder halves that remained culture-positive with Staphylococcus spp. during the 3-wk sampling interval was moderate, but M. haemolytica infections were stable during this time period. A substantial number of new infections were seen in the early lactation study period for non-aureus Staphylococcus spp., Staph. aureus, and Corynebacterium spp., but not for M. haemolytica or Streptococcus spp. The number of new IMI of Staph. aureus was associated with the number of Staph. aureus-infected udder halves in the flock at the first sampling moment, indicative of contagious transmission. Altogether, we show that substantial transmission happens in early lactation in suckler ewes, but that the dynamics differ between pathogen species. More research is needed to further describe transmission in different stages of lactation and to identify transmission routes, to develop effective interventions to control mastitis.     

The effect of subclinical mastitis on milk yield in dairy goats

The aims of this study were to estimate milk yield (MY) losses associated with subclinical intramammary infection (IMI) in dairy goats and to assess if somatic cell count (SCC) can be used to estimate such MY losses. We used 2 data sets to study these questions. The first data set consisted of 5 herds. Milk production and SCC were recorded during 1 lactation. From approximately 100 does in each herd, milk samples were collected on 3 occasions during lactation for bacteriological culture. Linear mixed regression was used to estimate the effect of IMI on MY. The second data set consisted of 6 large herds, in which some of the goats had an extended lactation (≥2 yr). Milk yield and SCC data were recorded without bacteriological culture. The data showed that bacterial infection was related to an increase in SCC. Infections with major pathogens were rare and associated with a decreased MY; infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci did not affect MY, whereas infection with Corynebacterium bovis was associated with increased MY. A negative correlation was observed between SCC and MY, but the data suggested that this negative correlation was attenuated rather than caused by IMI. Furthermore, SCC seemed to be affected by MY via a dilution effect. Hypotheses about biological mechanisms behind these observations are discussed. This paper shows that MY losses caused by subclinical udder infections are limited in goats, and that SCC cannot be used to estimate the magnitude of these losses.     

Diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infection by detection of specific antibody titer in milk.

The diagnostic value of the determination of Staphylococcus aureus antibody titer in milk as a method for identification of mammary quarters with S. aureus IMI was evaluated. Ten cows with a history of S. aureus IMI and 9 cows with no history of S. aureus IMI were sampled daily for 10 d. Quarter and composite milk samples were collected and processed by standard methods for concentration of S. aureus, S. aureus antibody titer (percentage of positive laboratory control), and SCC (cells per milliliter). Microbiologic culture identified 13 S. aureus-infected quarters from the 10 cows with a history of S. aureus IMI. Only 2 of the 130 samples (1.5%) from these infected quarters had undetectable concentrations of S. aureus. Antibody titers in milk from infected quarters of infected cows were below the previously established level considered to be indicative of IMI in 6 of 130 samples (4.6%). Four samples from infected quarters of infected cows had titers considered to be in the suspect range. The sensitivity of the antibody test was 83% (13% SE) when the suspect samples were included and 86% (12% SE) when they were not. Milk from uninfected quarters of cows with S. aureus IMI tended to have S. aureus antibody titers greater than the test's positive control, which would suggest that the quarters were infected with S. aureus. Antibody titer was below the infection threshold level in all pooled samples of uninfected cows, suggesting that the test correctly identified all cows free of S. aureus IMI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of Staphylococcus aureus strain-type on mammary quarter milk somatic cell count and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity in cattle from eight dairies

The hypothesis tested was that there are differences in pathogenicity between strains of Staphylococcus aureus that cause bovine mastitis. Mammary quarter milk somatic cell count (SCC) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) activity were used as indicators of the pathogenicity of different strains of S. aureus that infect the bovine udder. Eight commercial dairy herds with a history of S. aureus in bulk tank milk cultures were studied. Initially, composite foremilk samples were collected from all lactating cattle in each herd and cultured for staphylococci. Subsequently, all cows with a coagulase-positive staphylococcal intramammary infection (IMI) at the initial sampling that were still present in the herd of origin had individual mammary quarter foremilk samples collected. Coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates were confirmed as S. aureus using a commercial biotyping system. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were strain-typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Mammary quarter milk SCC and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity were determined for each cow. The difference in mean somatic cell count and mean NAGase activity for mammary quarters infected with the same strain of S. aureus and for uninfected quarters on the same cow was calculated. One-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences between strains within a herd. Overall, no significant differences were found between strains, suggesting that the degree of udder parenchymal injury induced by S. aureus IMI is in general significantly affected by factors other than strain type.     

Some coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species affect udder health more than others

A longitudinal study in 3 dairy herds was conducted to profile the distribution of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) species causing bovine intramammary infection (IMI) using molecular identification and to gain more insight in the pathogenic potential of CNS as a group and of the most prevalent species causing IMI. Monthly milk samples from 25 cows in each herd as well as samples from clinical mastitis were collected over a 13-mo period. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were identified to the species level using transfer-RNA intergenic spacer PCR. The distribution of CNS causing IMI was highly herd-dependent, but overall, Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus cohnii, and Staphylococcus simulans were the most prevalent. No CNS species were found to cause clinical mastitis. The effect of the most prevalent species on the quarter milk somatic cell count (SCC) was analyzed using a linear mixed model, showing that Staph. chromogenes, Staph. simulans, and Staph. xylosus induced an increase in the SCC that is comparable with that of Staphylococcus aureus. Almost all CNS species were able to cause persistent IMI, with Staph. chromogenes causing the most persistent infections. In conclusion, accurate species identification cannot be ignored when studying the effect of CNS on udder health, as the effect on SCC differs between species and species distribution is herd-specific. Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staph. simulans, and Staph. xylosus seem to be the more important species and deserve special attention in further studies. Reasons for herd dependency and possible cow- and quarter-level risk factors should be examined in detail for the different species, eventually leading to cost-benefit analyses for management changes and, if needed, treatment recommendations.     

Decreased number and bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus of the resident cells in milk of dairy cows during early lactation

Phagocytic and bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMN) isolated from blood and milk, against Staphylococcus aureus, was compared between groups of six healthy dairy cows in early, mid- and late lactation using a bacteriological assay. PMN were isolated from blood with a high degree of purity, but the cells isolated from milk contained variable amounts of macrophages (Mphi) and lymphocytes (L). The results were therefore calculated using the percentage PMN in order to evaluate phagocytosis and killing by PMN only. Blood PMN phagocytosed 82% Staph. aureus and milk PMN 43% on average and there was no significant difference between the different stages of lactation. The bactericidal activity of blood PMN against Staph. aureus was 36+/-8% in early lactation (significantly different from mid lactation, P < 0.05), 64+/-10% in mid lactation and 53+/-6% in late lactation. Milk PMN killed only 6+/-3% Staph. aureus in early lactation (significantly different from mid lactation, P < 0.01), 27+/-3% in mid lactation and 20+/-9% Staph. aureus in late lactation. The ratio of the bactericidal activity of milk to blood PMN was 0.08, 0.43 and 0.22 in early, mid- and late lactation, respectively. In addition to the decreased function. the number of cells in milk (somatic cell count, SCC) was also 60% lower in early lactation than in mid lactation cows (P < 0.01). Our results suggest an impairment of blood and milk-resident PMN bactericidal activity against Staph. aureus and a decreased number of milk-resident PMN in dairy cows at the onset of lactation.     

Relationships between somatic cell count and intramammary infection in buffaloes

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the presence of intramammary infections (IMI) in dairy buffaloes and to examine the relationships among IMI, somatic cell counts (SCC), and milk production traits. Two farms in northern Italy were visited monthly for a complete milking season. Quarter-based milk samples were collected at each visit from 46 buffaloes. A total of 1,912 samples were assessed in this experiment. Samples were cultured for bacterial presence and were tested for SCC and percentages of milk protein and fat. In addition, daily milk yield was recorded from each buffalo. Prevalence of IMI was large; 63% of quarters were infected. No buffalo remained free from IMI throughout the course of the study. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most common pathogen (66% of positive samples). The SCC was distinctly greater in infected quarters; 100% of quarters with SCC >200,000 cell/mL had IMI, whereas 98% of quarters with SCC below this threshold were uninfected. The somatic cell scores (SCS) in these buffaloes were much lower than those commonly observed in dairy cattle. The mean SCS from quarters with IMI was only 2.93. The highest SCS was observed in quarters infected by streptococci. No drastic decrease in milk yield was observed among infected buffaloes relative to healthy contemporaries. The relatively low SCS and lack of a strong effect on milk yield provide evidence to discourage antibiotic treatment of buffaloes for subclinical IMI during lactation.     

Effect of parity, stage of lactation, and intramammary infection on concentration of somatic cells and cytoplasmic particles in goat milk

Aseptic foremilk samples (about 15 ml) were collected biweekly for four samplings and then monthly throughout lactation from 35 does in three herds on Dairy Herd Improvement test. Bacteriology, direct microscopic somatic cell counts, and cytospin differential cell counts were performed on all samples. Milk yield was obtained from monthly Dairy Herd Improvement records. Thirty-nine percent of udder halves were infected, and coagulase negative staphylococci were the most frequent isolates (201 of 205). Somatic cell counts were influenced by lactation number, stage of lactation, and intramammary infection. Also, infection of one udder half increased somatic cells in the corresponding uninfected mammary half of the same animal. Cytoplasmic particles were not affected by stage of lactation or by intramammary infection but were greater for goats in first lactation. Milk yield was influenced by lactation number, stage of lactation, and intramammary infection.