Low Cost Management Practices to Detect and Control Sub-Clinical Mastitis in Dairy Cattle

Abstract

Subclinical mastitis is a hidden form of mastitis, causes a huge economic loss to the farmers. So, the present study was done with the aim to find out such management practice to detect and control sub-clinical mastitis in the dairy cattle under field condition that can easily be adopted by the farmers. Eighty cattle having subclinical mastitis were randomly selected by Surf Field Mastitis Test (SFMT) and divided into two groups i.e., control (N=40) and treatment (N=40). Trisodium citrate @ 30 mg/kg body wt. was supplemented to the cows along water once daily till 10 days in the treatment group, whereas trisodium citrate was not provided to the control group.  Milk sample was collected at 0 days and after 10 days of the experimental period and analyzed for somatic cell count (SCC), milk pH, electrical conductivity (EC), milk yield (kg), fat, SNF, protein, and lactose percentage. It was found that recovered rate from SCM, milk yield, fat, SNF, protein, and lactose were high and SFMT score, milk SCC, pH, and EC were low in the treatment group of the cows. Hence, detection of SCM through SFMT and control by use of tri-sodium citrate is an effective, easy and cost-effective management practices which will support the farmers in raising their income through increase in milk quality and quantity.

Keywords: Subclinical mastitis, trisodium citrate, surf field mastitis test, dairy cows