An observational study of farmer-reported clinical mastitis in New Zealand dairy ewes.

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dc.citation.issue4
dc.citation.volume72
dc.contributor.authorChambers G
dc.contributor.authorLaven R
dc.contributor.authorGrinberg A
dc.contributor.authorRidler A
dc.contributor.authorVelathanthiri N
dc.coverage.spatialEngland
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-18T03:13:14Z
dc.date.available2024-07-18T03:13:14Z
dc.date.issued2024-07-01
dc.description.abstractAIMS: To describe the incidence, aetiology, treatment, and outcomes of farmer-reported clinical mastitis on New Zealand dairy sheep farms. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 20 spring-lambing New Zealand sheep milking farms over the 2022-2023 season. Clinical mastitis was defined as a change in the appearance of milk and/or signs of inflammation in the gland. Farmers were required to report all cases of clinical mastitis and collect information on affected ewes' demographics, clinical features, treatments (where applicable), and outcomes. Milk samples from mastitic glands were submitted for microbiological culture and identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). RESULTS: Partial or complete clinical mastitis data were available for 236 cases from 221 ewes on 18/20 study farms. Clinical mastitis was diagnosed in 0-6% of ewes at the farm level, with an overall incidence of 1.8 (95% CI = 1.0-3.2)% using the study data, or 2.3 (95% CI = 1.6-3.3)% using the study data and farmer estimates that included unreported cases. Cases occurred mostly in early lactation, with 59% detected during the lambing period (August-October), at a median of 7 (IQR 3, 40) days in milk. The majority of cases featured clots in the milk (59%), swelling (55%), and unevenness (71%) of the glands. Pyrexia (rectal temperature ≥ 40.0°C) was diagnosed in 25% of cases and depression (lethargy, inappetence, or inability to stand) in 26% of cases. Treatment was given to 46% of cases, with tylosin being the most commonly used treatment (50% of treated cases). The most common outcome was immediate drying off to be culled without treatment (32%), followed by still milking and recovered but with lasting problems (25%). Nearly half of all the milk samples submitted were culture negative. Streptococcus uberis (14%), non-aureus staphylococci (12%), and Staphylococcus aureus (11%) were the most common isolates, found on 12, 8 and 8 of the 16 farms with microbiological data, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical mastitis affected up to 6% of ewes at the farm level. Systemic signs were observed in one quarter of affected ewes, suggesting a role for supportive treatment. Clinical mastitis can be severe and challenging to fully resolve in New Zealand dairy sheep. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first systematic study of clinical mastitis in New Zealand dairy ewes. It provides baseline information specific to New Zealand conditions for farmers, veterinarians, and other advisors to guide the management of mastitis for the relatively new dairy sheep industry in New Zealand.
dc.description.confidentialfalse
dc.edition.edition2024
dc.format.pagination212-224
dc.identifier.author-urlhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38719198
dc.identifier.citationChambers G, Laven R, Grinberg A, Ridler A, Velathanthiri N. (2024). An observational study of farmer-reported clinical mastitis in New Zealand dairy ewes.. N Z Vet J. 72. 4. (pp. 212-224).
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/00480169.2024.2344566
dc.identifier.eissn1176-0710
dc.identifier.elements-typejournal-article
dc.identifier.issn0048-0169
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/70231
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherTaylor and Francis Group
dc.publisher.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00480169.2024.2344566
dc.relation.isPartOfN Z Vet J
dc.rights(c) 2024 The Author/s
dc.rightsCC BY 4.0
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectClinical features
dc.subjectClinical mastitis
dc.subjectIncidence
dc.subjectMicrobiology
dc.subjectOutcomes
dc.subjectOvine
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectSheep
dc.subjectNew Zealand
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectSheep Diseases
dc.subjectMastitis
dc.subjectProspective Studies
dc.subjectDairying
dc.subjectIncidence
dc.subjectMilk
dc.subjectFarmers
dc.subjectLactation
dc.titleAn observational study of farmer-reported clinical mastitis in New Zealand dairy ewes.
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.elements-id488918
pubs.organisational-groupOther
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