Mastitis can be defined as inflammation of the cow udder. It may be due to various factors such as physical injury, chemical or biological agents resulting in low production of milk and if untreated the entire udder is damaged and there will be complete stoppage of milk.
Some preventive measures to be followed on day to day routine/practices can prevent /reduce the incidences of mastitis in diary animal and save the farmers from huge monetary loss are:
1. Maintenance of sanitation of cow shed:
a) Daily proper cleaning of the cow shed with disinfectant viz. Phenol, Bleaching powder etc.
b) Keep clean the drainage surrounding of the cow shed
c) Dropping and other fodder waste should be disposed of approximately 50 meter away from the shed.
d) Mastitis affected cow should be separated from other healthy herd and the affected cow milk should be discharged.
2. Cleaning of the dairy animal:
a) Daily cleaning of the cow will remove the diet and dropping material from the entrance body surface
b) Before milking, the udder area should be washed thoroughly permanganate solution
c) Feeding and watering equipment should be thoroughly clean daily
3. Cleanliness of milk man/milking utensils
a) Milk man should always clean his hand before and after milking each cow
b) Milk man finger nails are to be trimmed and kept short always to prevent injury to udder while milking intoxicated drinks.
c) Use of tobacco and cigarettes by the milk man during milking are to be prohibited.
d) Milk man suffering from fever coughing or any respiratory illness should never be allowed for milking.
e) Milking utensils should be clean thoroughly after every milking.
4. Proper drying off of the pregnant cow
a) Drying off is a process in which milking of pregnant cow is a stop. It is generally stopped at 8th month of pregnancy.
b) Drying off the high yielding cow should be done gradually i.e., one milking per day, followed by once in two days and finally stopped.
c) After drying off the pregnant cow, the teat orifice should be plugged off with antibiotic infusion in order to prevent the entry of micro-organism in to it.
5. Milking technique
a) Full hand method i.e., knuckling and stripping is considered the safest method of milking.
b) Immediately after milking prevent the cow from laying down on floor, since the orifices of teat are dilated due to milking and facilitates entry after milking of cow.
Therefore improving the management practises of animals can help reduces incidences of mastitis or other diseases top a great extent.
Veterinary Hospital, Kohima
