Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T05:04:08.706Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of intramammary antibiotic therapy during the dry period on the performance of Lacaune dairy sheep under intensive management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 December 2014

Fernando Hernandez ,
Laura Elvira ,
Beatriz Fernández ,
Marta Egea ,
Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes ,
Juan V Gonzalez-Martin  and
Susana Astiz
Fernando Hernandez
Affiliation:
Granja Cerromonte SL, San Juan de la Encinilla, 05358 Ávila, Spain
Laura Elvira
Affiliation:
TRIALVET S.L., C/Encina, 22, 28721 Cabanillas de la Sierra, Madrid, Spain
Beatriz Fernández
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Marta Egea
Affiliation:
Outcomes Research Department, Pfizer Spain, Avda Europa 20B, 28108, Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Affiliation:
Outcomes Research Department, Pfizer Spain, Avda Europa 20B, 28108, Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
Juan V Gonzalez-Martin
Affiliation:
TRIALVET S.L., C/Encina, 22, 28721 Cabanillas de la Sierra, Madrid, Spain Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Avda. Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Susana Astiz*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: astiz.susana@inia.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Often the only way to ensure profitability of Lacaune dairy sheep is intensive management, which requires appropriate dry-period treatment to ensure animal productivity and health. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of intramammary antibiotic dry therapy on the performance and health of Lacaune sheep under intensive management. We recorded data for 5981 complete lactation periods that followed a dry period. A total of 2402 lactation periods were preceded by a dry period involving intramammary administration of 300 mg of cephapirin benzathine (antibiotic group) and 3579 lactation periods were preceded by dry periods with no treatment (control group). The following on-farm yield data were collected for individual lactation periods: length of the subsequent lactation period; total milk yield per lactation period; daily milk yield and length of the subsequent dry period. Data on confounding factors that might affect productivity were also recorded, including the individual ewe, number of lactation periods and length of the previous dry period. Milk quality was assessed using data on somatic cell count (SCC) and content of protein and fat taken from the Spanish National Official Milk Yield Recording System. Antibiotic dry therapy significantly improved total yield per lactation period, which was 429±151·1 l in the antibiotic group and 412±165·5 l in the control group, as well as the daily milk yield, which was 1986±497·0 and 1851±543·2 ml/d, respectively (both P<0·0001). The initial dry period was significantly longer in the antibiotic group than in the control group, and dry period length correlated inversely with yield variables such us total yield per lactation period (r=−0·055; P<0·0001) and yield per day in milk (r=−0·039; P<0·0001). As a result, milk yield records systematically underestimated the positive effects of antibiotic dry therapy. Antibiotic dry therapy also significantly improved milk quality. Milk from the antibiotic group showed 50% lower SCC (573±1326 vs. 1022±2126 cells/ml; P<0·0001) and slightly higher content in fat (7·33±0·91 vs. 7·15±0·87%) and protein (5·63±0·44 vs. 5·44±0·4%). The results of this study suggest that cephalosporin dry therapy of Lacaune dairy sheep increases milk production and improves milk quality during subsequent lactation periods.

Keywords

Lacaunedairy sheepantibiotic dry therapycephalosporinSCCintensive management
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 82 , Issue 1 , February 2015 , pp. 95 - 101
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bernier-Dodier, P, Girard, CL, Talbot, BG & Lacasse, P 2011 Effect of dry period management on mammary gland function and its endocrine regulation in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 94 4922–4936CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chaffer, M, Leitner, G, Zamir, S, Winkler, M, Glickman, A, Ziv, N & Saran, A 2003 Efficacy of dry-off treatment in sheep. Small Ruminant Research 47 11–16Google Scholar
Elvira, L, Hernandez, F, Cuesta, P, Cano, S, Gonzalez-Martin, JV & Astiz, S 2013a Factors affecting the lactation periods curves of intensively managed sheep based on a clustering approach. Journal of Dairy Research 80 439–447Google Scholar
Elvira, L, Hernandez, F, Cuesta, P, Cano, S, Gonzalez-Martin, JV & Astiz, S 2013b Accurate mathematical models to describe the lactation periods curve of Lacaune dairy sheep under intensive management. Animal 7 1044–1052Google Scholar
Gonzalo, C, Ariznabarreta, A, Carriedo, JA & San Primitivo, F 2002 Mammary Pathogens and their relationship with somatic cell count and milk yield losses in dairy ewes. Journal of Dairy Science 85 1460–1467Google Scholar
Gonzalo, C, Tardaguila, JA, De la Fuente, LF & San Primitivo, F 2004 Effects of selective and complete dry therapy on prevalence of intramammary infection and on milk yield in the subsequent lactation periods in dairy ewes. Journal of Dairy Research 71 33–38Google Scholar
Gonzalo, C, Linage, B, Carriedo, JA, Juarez, MT, Beneitez, E, Martinez, A & De la Fuente, LF 2009 Effect of dry therapy using an intramammary infusion on bulk tank somatic cell count in sheep. Journal of Dairy Science 92 156–159CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gonzalo, C, Carriedo, JA, Garcia-Jimeno, MC, Perez-Bilbao, M & De la Fuente, LF 2010 Factors influencing variation of bulk milk antibiotic residue occurrence, somatic cell count, and total bacterial count in dairy sheep flocks. Journal of Dairy Science 93 1587–1595Google Scholar
Hand, KJ, Godkin, A & Kelton, DF 2012 Milk production and somatic cell counts: a cow-level analysis. Journal of Dairy Science 95 1358–1362Google Scholar
Hernandez, F, Elvira, L, Gonzalez-Martin, JV, Gonzalez-Bulnes, A & Astiz, S 2011 Influence of age at first lambing on reproductive and productive performance of Lacaune dairy sheep under an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Research 78 160–167Google Scholar
Hernandez, F, Elvira, L, Gonzalez-Martin, JV & Astiz, S 2012 Influence of dry period length on reproductive performance and productivity of Lacaune dairy sheep under an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Research 79 352–360CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Natzke, RP, Everett, RW & Bray, DR 1975 Effect of drying off practices on mastitis infection. Journal of Dairy Science 58 1828–1835Google Scholar
Petridis, IG & Fthenakis, GC 2014 Administration of antibiotics to ewes at the beginning ofthe dry-period. Journal of Dairy Research 81 9–15Google Scholar
Pinedo, P, Risco, C & Melendez, P 2011 A retrospective study on the association between different lengths of the dry period and subclinical mastitis, milk yield, reproductive performance, and culling in Chilean dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 94 106–115Google Scholar
Revilla, I, Lurueña-Martínez, MA & Vivar-Quintana, AM 2009 Influence of somatic cell counts and breed on physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of hard ewes’-milk cheeses. Journal of Dairy Research 76 283–289Google Scholar
Robert, A, Seegers, H & Bareille, N 2006 Incidence of intramammary infections during the dry period without or with antibiotic treatment in dairy cows – a quantitative analysis of published data. Veterinary Research 37 25–48Google Scholar
Rupp, R, Clément, V, Piacere, A, Robert-Granié, C & Manfredi, E 2011 Genetic parameters for milk somatic cell score and relationship with production and udder type traits in dairy Alpine and Saanen primiparous goats. Journal of Dairy Science 85 3629–3634Google Scholar
Spanu, C, Berger, YM, Thomas, DL & Ruegg, PL 2011 Impact of intramammary antimicrobial dry treatment and teat sanitation on somatic cell count and intramammary infection in dairy ewes. Small Ruminant Research 97 139–145Google Scholar
Watson, DL & Buswell, JF 1984 Modern aspects of sheep mastitis. British Veterinary Journal 140 529–534Google Scholar