TY - JOUR

T1 - Is the incidence of clinical mastitis associated with changes of weekly average dry matter intake in lactating dairy cows?

AU - Brennecke, Julia

AU - Falkenberg, Ulrike

AU - Wente, Nicole

AU - Krömker, Volker

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - The aim of this cross-sectional study was to test whether there is anassociation between clinical mastitis incidence and variations in drymatter intake in lactating dairy cows. Data were collected and analyzedfrom two voluntarily participating dairy herds (1,000 -1,200 cows)between 2017 and 2018. Lactating cows were assigned to seven “effective”husbandry groups (HGeff), considering important performanceparameters such as lactation number, lactation day, reproductivestatus, and health status. The average daily dry matter intake of a cowin a husbandry group was determined once a week. Dry matter wasdetermined using dehydration equipment that dried the fresh massesof the total mixed ration (TMR) in a standardized way. The incidenceof clinical mastitis was calculated for different aetiological groups(environment associated mastitis pathogens, cow-associated mastitispathogens, NAS (non-aureus staphylococci) and no growth cases). Drymatter intake (DMI) per individual cow was calculated as the averagedvalue plus the associated standard deviation (DMI (sd)) from weeklyexaminations of each husbandry group (HGeff). The average dry matterintake per cow per day was 23.6 kg +/- 3.7 kg. Environment associatedpathogens were found in about half of all clinical mastitis cases (49.4%). Cow-associated pathogens were found in 4.8 % of clinical mastitiscases. In all models, the different clinical incidences of mastitisstudied were significantly associated with HGeff. In most cases, theincident rates were significantly higher in the fresh milking and highmilking groups compared to the other groups. The incidence of clinicalnon severe mastitis cases (only mild and moderate cases) caused byenvironment associated microorganisms was further associated withvariation in dry matter intake, with higher variation related to higherclinical mastitis incidence. Further studies are needed to verify thisassociation.

AB - The aim of this cross-sectional study was to test whether there is anassociation between clinical mastitis incidence and variations in drymatter intake in lactating dairy cows. Data were collected and analyzedfrom two voluntarily participating dairy herds (1,000 -1,200 cows)between 2017 and 2018. Lactating cows were assigned to seven “effective”husbandry groups (HGeff), considering important performanceparameters such as lactation number, lactation day, reproductivestatus, and health status. The average daily dry matter intake of a cowin a husbandry group was determined once a week. Dry matter wasdetermined using dehydration equipment that dried the fresh massesof the total mixed ration (TMR) in a standardized way. The incidenceof clinical mastitis was calculated for different aetiological groups(environment associated mastitis pathogens, cow-associated mastitispathogens, NAS (non-aureus staphylococci) and no growth cases). Drymatter intake (DMI) per individual cow was calculated as the averagedvalue plus the associated standard deviation (DMI (sd)) from weeklyexaminations of each husbandry group (HGeff). The average dry matterintake per cow per day was 23.6 kg +/- 3.7 kg. Environment associatedpathogens were found in about half of all clinical mastitis cases (49.4%). Cow-associated pathogens were found in 4.8 % of clinical mastitiscases. In all models, the different clinical incidences of mastitisstudied were significantly associated with HGeff. In most cases, theincident rates were significantly higher in the fresh milking and highmilking groups compared to the other groups. The incidence of clinicalnon severe mastitis cases (only mild and moderate cases) caused byenvironment associated microorganisms was further associated withvariation in dry matter intake, with higher variation related to higherclinical mastitis incidence. Further studies are needed to verify thisassociation.

U2 - 10.48435/MSI.2022.1

DO - 10.48435/MSI.2022.1

M3 - Journal article

VL - 75

SP - 1

EP - 6

JO - Milk Science International - Milchwissenschaft

JF - Milk Science International - Milchwissenschaft

SN - 2567-9538

IS - 1

ER -