Subclinical Mastitis: The Hidden Threat to Dairy Profitability

The increasing demand for milk and milk products has led to an increase in the dairy production industry. The cow’s udder health is important to maintain productivity and profitability. Any factors impacting udder health can affect animal welfare and the safety of the products produced by infected cows eventually leading to economic losses. One of the major threats to udder health and overall dairy productivity is Bovine Mastitis.  Mastitis in cows is a disease with significant financial impact due to decreased milk production and consecutive high culling rates during severe conditions caused by multiple causes. A Journal of Dairy Science study reports that dairy cattle disease may lead to annual global losses of around US$65B with subclinical mastitis causing loss of around US$9B.

What Is Bovine Mastitis?

Bovine mastitis is an inflammation of mammary gland tissues caused by pathogenic infection or physical injury. Mastitis occurs when pathogens enter the sterile environment of the mammary gland, which often happens due to disruptions in the physical barriers of the teat. Decreased immunological responses to these pathogens lead to the development of mastitis.

Non-infectious mastitis is caused by physical injury to the mammary gland and trauma. Infection of the udder with contagious and environmental pathogens can also lead to the development of subclinical mastitis. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus species are the crucial infecting agents.

 Factors contributing to Mastitis  –

• Milking Practices: Improper milking hygiene practices like dirty milking equipment or poor handling practices facilitate pathogen entry.
• Physical Trauma: Injuries to the teat or udder affect the epithelial barrier.
• Environmental Factors: Unsanitary housing conditions and exposure to contaminated bedding or water increase the risk of infection.
• Host Susceptibility: Nutritional deficiencies, immunosuppression, or stress conditions can increase the risk of mastitis.

 

 

Current Strategies Used for Mastitis Control

General measures such as proper disinfection of udder pre and post-milking, balanced feeding practices, dry therapy, grazing management, and sanitation of farms can be implemented for mastitis control in cows. Antibiotics and vaccines are widely used for the treatment of active infections. However, the increasing risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and potential downstream effects on human health have led to the need for the development of alternative methods for the prevention and treatment of Bovine Mastitis.

Natural products can be ideal for mastitis control due to their antimicrobial properties and complex composition. Plant extracts, essential oils, and probiotics can crucially impact the infection-causing pathogens and might help to prevent mastitis in cows.

RECOMAST – For Holistic Mastitis Care

RECOMAST is a Phytogenic anti-mastitis feed supplement having anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and immunomodulatory action that helps in mastitis control in cows.

 

 

 

 

The herbal components in RECOMAST help improve immune response and reduce somatic cell count in the dairy. It also contains minerals that improve the physical barrier of the udder. Probiotics help reduce the impact of pathogens. The nucleotide present in RECOMAST enhances the rate of recovery of mammary glands, eventually helping in the control of subclinical mastitis in cows. RECOMAST is a natural supplement that increases the quality and quantity of milk and reduces the somatic cell count during infections.

 

“RECOMAST: Holistic Mastitis Care for Healthier Herds and Higher Profits.”

 

*References on request*