Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-5lx2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-26T07:24:19.749Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of intramammary infection in Bergamasca meat sheep on milk parameters and lamb growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2007

Paolo Moroni*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Milan, via Celoria 10, Milan, Italy
Giuliano Pisoni
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Milan, via Celoria 10, Milan, Italy
Giorgio Varisco
Affiliation:
Department of Food Safety, Istituto Zooprofilattico of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna Brescia25124, Italy
Paul Boettcher
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council, Milan Palazzo LITA, Milan, Italy
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: paolo.moroni@unimi.it

Abstract

Pooled milk samples from 115 Bergamasca meat sheep were collected aseptically five times from lambing to weaning to determine the prevalence of intramammary infection, somatic cell counts and milk quality parameters (protein, fat and lactose), and effects of infection on lamb weight gain. The global prevalence of subclinical intramammary infection was 51·2%. The Staphylococcus genus was responsible for the greatest prevalence (53·3% among infected udders). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 8·4% of infected milk samples. Infection status had significant effects on fat and protein percentage and on somatic cell count. Lamb growth was greatest for lambs of ewes with no infection and decreased as the number of infected samples increased. No significant differences were detected in the growth of lambs with dams infected by different bacterial species.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ali, AKA & Shook, G 1980 An optimal transformation for somatic cell concentration in milk. Journal of Dairy Science 63 487490CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ariznabarreta, A, Gonzalo, C & San Primitivo, F 2002 Microbiological quality and somatic cell count of ewe milk with special reference to Staphylococci. Journal of Dairy Science 85 13701375CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bergonier, D, De Crémoux, R, Rupp, R, Lagriffoul, G & Berthelot, X 2003 Mastitis of dairy small ruminants. Veterinary Research 34 689716CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clements, ACA, Taylor, DJ & Fitzpatrick, JL 2003 Evaluation of diagnostic procedures for subclinical mastitis in meat-producing sheep. Journal of Dairy Research 70 139148CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Croft, A, Duffield, T, Menzies, P, Leslie, K, Bagg, R & Dick, P 2000 The effect of tilmicosin administered to ewes prior to lambing on incidence of clinical mastitis and subsequent lamb performance. Canadian Veterinary Journal 41 306311Google ScholarPubMed
FAOSTAT 2005 Agricultural Statistic (online: http://www.fao.org). Rome, Italy: FAOGoogle Scholar
FIL-IDF 1981 Laboratory Methods for Use inMastitis Work. International Dairy Federation, IDF Bull. 132. Brussels, BelgiumGoogle Scholar
Fthenakis, GC & Jones, JET 1990a The effect of experimentally induced subclinical mastitis on milk yield of ewes and on the growth of lambs. British Veterinary Journal 146 4349CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fthenakis, GC & Jones, JET 1990b The effect of inoculation of coagulase negative staphylococci into the ovine mammary gland. Journal of Comparative Pathology 102 211219CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fthenakis, GC 1994 Prevalence and aetiology of subclinical mastitis in ewes of Southern Greece. Small Ruminant Research 13 293300CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gonzalo, C, Ariznabarreta, A, Carriedo, JA & San Primitivo, F 2002 Mammary pathogens and their relationship to somatic cell count and milk yield losses in dairy ewes. Journal of Dairy Science 85 14601467CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keisler, DH, Andrews, ML & Moffat, RJ 1992 Subclinical mastitis in ewes and its effect on lamb performance. Journal of Animal Science 70 16771681CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leitner, G, Chaffer, M, Zamir, S, Mor, T, Glickman, A, Winkler, M, Weisblit, L & Saran, A 2001 Udder disease aetiology, milk somatic cell count and NAGase activity in Israeli Assaf sheep throughout lactation. Small Ruminant Research 39 107112CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marco, JC 1994 [Mastitis in Laxta sheep: epidemiology, diagnosis and control]. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Saragoza, SpainGoogle Scholar
National Mastitis Council 1999 Laboratory Handbook on Bovine Mastitis, Revised Edition. Madison WI, USA: National Mastitis Council, Inc.Google Scholar
SAS Institute 2000 SAS/STAT User's Guide, Version 8. SAS Institute, Cary, USAGoogle Scholar
Susmel, P & Piasentier, E 1989 Note on the Bergamasca breed of sheep. Symposium “Philostios”, Fonte-Boa, Portugal. EUR Publication (No. 11893): 552560Google Scholar
Winter, P, Schilcher, F, Fuchs, K & Colditz, IG 2003 Dynamics of experimentally induced Staphylococcus epidermidis mastitis in East Friesian milk ewes. Journal of Dairy Research 70 157164Google ScholarPubMed