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Subclinical mastitis in dairy cows in Swiss organic and conventional production systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2006

Markus Roesch ,
Marcus G Doherr ,
Walter Schären ,
Melchior Schällibaum  and
Jürg W Blum
Markus Roesch
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition and Physiology, Institute of Animal Genetics, Nutrition and Housing, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland Present address: Clinic for Ruminants, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
Marcus G Doherr
Affiliation:
Department Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Walter Schären
Affiliation:
Swiss Federal Research Station for Animal Production and Dairy Products, CH-3097 Liebefeld-Bern, Switzerland
Melchior Schällibaum
Affiliation:
Swiss Federal Research Station for Animal Production and Dairy Products, CH-3097 Liebefeld-Bern, Switzerland
Jürg W Blum
Affiliation:
Division of Nutrition and Physiology, Institute of Animal Genetics, Nutrition and Housing, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Abstract

The objective was to compare the prevalence of subclinical mastitis (SM) and of udder pathogens in 60 Swiss organic (OP) and 60 conventional production systems (CP). Cows (n=970) were studied for SM prevalence and udder pathogens at median 31 d and 102 d post partum. Cows showing a [ges ]1+ positive California Mastitis Test (CMT) in at least one quarter were considered to have SM. Cow-level prevalences of SM for visits at 31 d and 102 d post partum (39% and 40% in OP and 34% and 35% in CP) were similar, but quarter-level prevalences of SM were higher (P<0·02) in OP than CP (15% and 18% in OP and 12% and 15% in CP). Median somatic cell counts in milk at 31 d post partum were higher (P<0·05) in OP than CP cows (43000 and 28000 cells/ml, respectively), but were similar at 102 d post partum in OP and CP cows (45000 and 38000 cells/ml, respectively). In milk samples from quarters showing a CMT reaction [ges ]2+ the prevalences of coagulase negative staphylococci were lower (P<0·05) at 102 d post partum, whereas prevalences of non-agalactiae streptococci were higher (P<0·05) in OP than in CP cows at 31 d and 102 d post partum. In conclusion, under Swiss conditions, subclinical mastitis is a greater problem in organic than in conventional production systems, but differences are not marked.

Keywords

Dairy cowsubclinical mastitisorganic farming
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 74 , Issue 1 , February 2007 , pp. 86 - 92
Copyright
Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2006

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