TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigations on transfer of pathogens between foster cows and calves during the suckling period

AU - Köllmann, Katharina

AU - Wente, Nicole

AU - Zhang, Yanchao

AU - Krömker, Volker

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by the Steinbeis Research Center for Dairy Science (Kirchlengern, Germany), grant number 20–3. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2021/9

Y1 - 2021/9

N2 - To date, there have been few studies on the health effects of foster cow systems, including the transmission of mastitis-associated pathogens during suckling. The present study aimed to compare the pathogens detected in the mammary glands of the foster cow with those in the oral cavities of the associated foster calves and to evaluate the resulting consequences for udder health, calf health and internal biosecurity. Quarter milk sampling of 99 foster cows from an organic dairy farm was conducted twice during the foster period. Oral cavity swabs were taken from 345 foster calves. Furthermore, quarter milk samples were collected from 124 biological dams to investigate possible transmission to the foster cows via the suckling calves. All samples were microbiologically examined and confirmed by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass-spectrometry). Using RAPD-PCR (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction), strain similarities were detected for Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, S. sciuri and Streptococcus (Sc.) suis. Transmission of P. multocida and S. aureus probably occurred during suckling. For S. sciuri and Sc. suis, environmental origins were assumed. Transmission from dam to foster cow with the suckling calf as vector could not be clearly demonstrated.

AB - To date, there have been few studies on the health effects of foster cow systems, including the transmission of mastitis-associated pathogens during suckling. The present study aimed to compare the pathogens detected in the mammary glands of the foster cow with those in the oral cavities of the associated foster calves and to evaluate the resulting consequences for udder health, calf health and internal biosecurity. Quarter milk sampling of 99 foster cows from an organic dairy farm was conducted twice during the foster period. Oral cavity swabs were taken from 345 foster calves. Furthermore, quarter milk samples were collected from 124 biological dams to investigate possible transmission to the foster cows via the suckling calves. All samples were microbiologically examined and confirmed by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass-spectrometry). Using RAPD-PCR (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction), strain similarities were detected for Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, S. sciuri and Streptococcus (Sc.) suis. Transmission of P. multocida and S. aureus probably occurred during suckling. For S. sciuri and Sc. suis, environmental origins were assumed. Transmission from dam to foster cow with the suckling calf as vector could not be clearly demonstrated.

KW - Calf rearing

KW - Foster cows

KW - Pasteurella multocida

KW - Suckling

KW - Udder health

U2 - 10.3390/ani11092738

DO - 10.3390/ani11092738

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34573704

AN - SCOPUS:85115000193

VL - 11

JO - Animals

JF - Animals

SN - 2076-2615

IS - 9

M1 - 2738

ER -