Download E.coli mastitis rates hit a winter high

E. coli mastitis rates hit a winter high
Death and taxes are not the only dead certs in life: although preventative
management is preferred, there will always be a need for effective treatment for E.
coli mastitis.
Results from the Cobactan® Vale Vet Scheme show that coliforms remain one of the
top three causes of clinical mastitis in British herds. They are responsible for clinical
cases in 18% of samples tested – a rise of 4% on the previous year. In addition,
coliforms lurk in 12% of high cell count samples.
With winter routines in full swing, this is particularly worrying. E. coli can lead to
severe symptoms in the cow as toxins are released from the cell wall of the bacteria
when it dies. Signs include toxic shock, blood clots and damage to the liver and
kidneys.
This is what can make a case of E. coli mastitis so expensive because, in addition to
time, dumped milk and vet costs, farmers need to add in the cost of anti-inflammatory
treatments to help control inflammation, reduce fever and offer pain relief.
Furthermore, hard hitting antibiotic treatment is the only way to produce a rapid and
effective bacteriological cure.
Licensed combination therapy with Cobactan MC tubes plus injectable Cobactan
2.5% fits the bill nicely. Both the injection and tube penetrate the udder rapidly at
effective levels producing very good cure rates. And, because this is licensed
treatment, milk withdrawal is still just four days.