Mastitis in prepartum dairy heifers has been recognized as a significant economic problem for the dairy industry. Intramammary infusion of cephapirin sodium was completed in 20 treatment animals and the results were compared to 25 non-treated control animals. Bacteriological data from the quarter milk samples were used to determine and compare initial infection rates and cure rates following calving between treatment and control groups. Comparisons were also made between groups for differences in reproductive performance, milk yield, somatic cell count and milk ketone concentration.
Milk yield did not differ between groups for either DHIA monthly average kg/day, 305 day actual milk yield or 305 day mature equivalent yield (305ME). The average weekly milk weights (kg/d) between groups were different (P<.0001). Reproductive performance between groups was not significantly different. Milk ketone concentration did not differ at weeks 1 or 2. Somatic cell count score (SCS) at 200 days in milk were not different between groups, but the treatment group exhibited a trend towards lower cell counts (P<.10). SCS in the treatment group tended to be lower (P<.09) during the average of the first 3 DHIA test periods. Prepartum treatment of dairy heifers significantly improved cure rates in the treatment group (P<.003), moderately reduced SCC throughout lactation, and did not affect milk yield. While there were no significant differences between treatment groups in milk ketone concentration, evidence suggests that infections caused by major mastitis pathogens may increase metabolic stress on primiparous heifers. Further research in the use of prepartum lactating cow antibiotics in heifers is needed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-07012004-143102 |
| Date | 06 July 2004 |
| Creators | Norman, Christopher B |
| Contributors | Bruce Jenny, Cathleen C. Williams, William E. Owens |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07012004-143102/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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