Prevalence and Bacterial Etiology of Subclinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows in Al Sulaimaniyah District

Abstract

    Comprehensive data regarding subclinical mastitis in dairy cows are essential for implementation of an appropriate control programs for this economically significant disease Such data are unavailable in Al Sulaimaniyah district in Iraqi Kurdistan Region, therefore, this study was designed to determine the prevalence, bacterial causative agents and antimicrobial susceptibility of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows in this district.  A total of 288 milk samples obtained from 72 dairy cows in 5 different regions in Al Sulaimaniyah district were investigated for subclinical mastitis using California mastitis test (CMT). Milk samples with positive results to CMT were subjected to bacteriological analysis.

    Out of the 72 cows tested, 28 (38.89%) showed positive results for subclinical mastitis, of which, 15 were Holstein-Friesian cows, 4 were native cows and 9 were crossbred cows. Regarding age susceptibility, 7 infected cows were 2-4 years old and the other 21 were 5-7 years old. A total of 62 bacterial isolates were recovered and the biochemical tests revealed these isolates belonging to 8 species. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Streptococcucs agalactiae were the most common bacteria followed by Streptococcucs uberis, Streptococcucs dysgalactiae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Staphylococcus chromogenes respectively. Antibacterial susceptibility testing showed that the simultaneous use of florfenicol, cephalexin, erythromycin and ampicillin may be useful for the treatment of subclinical mastitis cases in cattle in Al Sulaimaniyah district.