Correct and effective treatment of cow mastitis
Mastitis in a cow or cattle is a common disease that occurs mainly in pregnant females or in calving cows. If you decide to breed cows on your farm, then you need to know how to treat at home, what drugs to use and how to protect the animal from such a disease. Cow mastitis is a common udder disease that causes inflammation.
Mastitis in cows
All veterinarians recommend, as a preventive measure, first of all, to monitor the level of milk in the cow and observe the cleanliness and disinfection of the premises. These are the main requirements in the prevention of mastitis. Treatment of mastitis in cows at home can only be carried out until the veterinarian comes to the animal. Self-treatment for such a complex disease is excluded. If the female is treated incorrectly, mastitis can go into an advanced stage, which is even more difficult to cure, therefore, at the first signs of malaise in the animal, you should immediately invite a veterinarian for examination and sampling.
Types and symptoms of mastitis in cows
- Serous mastitis in cows, or postpartum, appears most often after calving; in heifers, this type of disease practically does not occur. Symptoms may include swollen lymph nodes, and the udder is firm and red to the touch. The burenka feels soreness during milking, becomes lethargic and does not allow her to approach her. If left untreated, then milk yield for several days of the disease is noticeably reduced. If a cow develops mastitis, even the color of the milk and its structure may change, depending on the stage of the disease. Serous mastitis must be treated when the first symptoms appear, otherwise the disease can turn into a chronic form, in which it is very difficult to restore milk yield.
- Catarrhal mastitis. There are many types of mastitis in cows, but the form of catarrhal is characteristic of females who gave birth for the first time. The lesion occurs within a month after the start of expression. In some cases, the behavior of the female does not change, but changes can be noticed by the reduced fat content of the milk. Sometimes in the milk of cows with a catarrhal form of the disease, flakes and clots can be seen. This reaction occurs because there are plugs in the milk ducts that periodically come out with the colostrum. Such plugs can be felt in the udder.
- Fibrous, or fibrinous mastitis. This type of disease is the most dangerous due to active development and appears due to various factors. Fibrous mastitis can raise an animal's temperature up to 40 ° C. Symptoms are similar to those of hemorrhagic mastitis, in which the cow's temperature reaches 40-42 ° C. The cow's udder is sensitive, in some cases, due to painful sensations, the female can limp. Burenka eventually refuses to eat, becomes passive. Milk yield falls noticeably, and then stops altogether.
- Purulent mastitis is of several types and only a specialist can distinguish between them. Determination and diagnosis is carried out by the method of sampling analyzes. The causes of purulent-catarrhal mastitis in cows can be different. An ailment occurs due to an infection that attacks the milk canal and alveoli. The body temperature rises, there is no appetite. Colostrum with a purulent form of a lesion smells and tastes unpleasant, purulent clots are present in the milk. An abscess is a type of purulent mastitis. This is due to the fact that various small abscesses covering part of the udder have become inflamed. The udder swells, painful sensations arise. The burenka may limp on the leg on which side of the udder is most affected. The cow's appetite suffers, the animal becomes lethargic, does not allow to touch the udder. Purulent discharge is present in colostrum.
- Subclinical, or latent, mastitis. Subclinical mastitis is characterized by the absence of any symptoms. Outwardly latent mastitis is very difficult to recognize. In this case, this form is detected only from blood tests in the cow or analyzes of the bioflora of milk. What to do after analysis? It is necessary to start treating the disease. If this form is not treated or the presence of the disease is not noticed in time, then another stage may begin in subclinical mastitis, which can turn into serous mastitis.
How can mastitis be detected in cows?
Despite any cause of the disease in cows, milk mastitis tests can be done and the presence of the disease can be detected. This test can be performed in the first days after calving. Milk mastitis in cows, such a test, if performed correctly, will show immediately. To do this, you need to milk some milk for analysis. This procedure is repeated all the time at least 1 time per month until the end of the lactation period. Many farmers, after taking milk for a sample, to find out whether there is a manifestation of mastitis or not, donate it to a special vet. laboratory. If this is not possible, then you can do the test at home. For diagnostics it is necessary to purchase control plates MKP-1 and MKP-2, 5% solution "Dimastin".
1 ml of milk is decanted into one cell from each udder lobe. 1 ml of Dimastin solution is added to colostrum. The resulting liquid is stirred with a glass rod. After 15 minutes, you need to check how the contents of the cells have changed. The first drops after expressing contain bacteria, this option is not considered a deviation from the norm, but only pure milk is needed for analysis. To carry out the analysis correctly, you need to decant the first drops into another container, and take medium stream milk for analysis.
If the liquid has not changed and remains homogeneous, this means that the cow is healthy. Jelly-like clots may indicate a possible illness. If the clots are bulky and noticeable, it is bovine mastitis. Orange does not indicate a deviation, it may be worth repeating the check. Red and crimson shades are pathologies.
It is extremely important to determine the presence of the disease: it will depend on how to treat the cow. You can do the test yourself, but even after receiving the results, you should consult with your veterinarian to confirm them. It is necessary to invite a specialist to his farm to take tests from the cow and at the same time ask the veterinarian to examine other animals.
Treatment of mastitis in cows
Veterinarians prescribe antibiotics to help medication quickly. Serous mastitis can be treated, for example, by injecting 0.25% novocaine intravenously. Such an injection is done on isotonic sodium chloride solution in a dosage that is calculated based on the weight of the cow and the stage of the disease. Such treatment can only be carried out taking into account the recommendations of the veterinarian or under his supervision. Heparin or ichthyol ointment also gives a positive result.You can use camphor mastitis ointment (camphor) or Vishnevsky ointment.
Such means are rubbed on the udder of the animal to relieve inflammation and pain. Drugs such as oxytocin or amoxicillin may be prescribed to clean the udder. It is possible to cure the inflammation of acute mastitis with the drugs Penersin and Masticid. Such drugs are used mainly for the treatment of acute mastitis in advanced and even chronic form. The drugs are injected into the udder through a sterile catheter for 4-5 days. Usually, already on the 5th day after treatment, cow's milk is suitable for consumption.
As a medicine for mastitis in a purulent form, a solution of Rivanol, potassium, streptocide or ichthyol is used. Funds are poured into the udder up to 3 times a day. Treatment for any mastitis in cows should be recorded and, if new symptoms are detected, continue until the disease has completely resolved. With a purulent form, bicillin is also prescribed, it is administered intramuscularly. Injections and syringes are checked for sterility before medication is administered. Also, intramuscular veterinarians prescribe nitox.
Medicines in combination with proper nutrition
If the case is neglected and the cow has a form of acute mastitis, then there is a special novocaine blockade. It is imperative to consult about the use of any medications, since some cows are suitable, while others are not.
Against mastitis in cows, it is necessary to choose not only the right treatment, but also adequate therapy, to provide proper care during treatment. It is imperative to adjust the diet, it is best to replace juicy food with dry, fiber-rich food at least for the period of treatment until recovery.
It is also recommended to limit drinking. Water should be given, of course, but not in abundant quantities. Many studies have shown their effectiveness on specially formulated vaccines. As a prophylaxis for such a disease, vaccines against various mastitis can be put. At home, some farmers inject Mastivak, but only as directed by the veterinarian and in his presence.
How to treat a cow with folk methods for mastitis
Modern society rarely treats a cow with folk remedies, but sometimes forgotten methods can be effective, especially at the initial stage. If the cow has a mild form of mastitis and such a disease manifests itself at an early stage, you can try to improve the condition of the individual. An inflamed udder can be washed with warm and clean water with added salt or rinsed with nettle broth. Any methods are good if the cow feels good, does not lame and allows the udder to be touched. Another effective remedy for mastitis is udder massage.
After the milking process is completed, the compacted areas of the udder are massaged, as if imitating clay modeling. With fibrinous mastitis, clay applications are performed, so the disease goes away better. The clay solution is mixed with the leaves of yarrow, nettle and plantain. All of these herbs have antibacterial effects. All recipes can be slightly edited and instead of 3 herbs, take at least one. To cure cows, many farmers even read a special conspiracy.
Recommendations for the care and keeping of animals
After calving and before it, you need to completely disinfect the room. Some farmers even rub the floor with iodine to decontaminate the calving and breeding area. Launching a cow, when she only has milk, should be done with clean hands and warm. If it is cool in the pens, animals can catch colds and develop udder inflammation. If milking machines are installed on the farm, they must be sterile, as any infection through the milk can enter the udder. In which case, if a dirty milk machine becomes noticeable, it must first be washed and then put into production.
Together with antibiotics, you should ask your veterinarian to prescribe probiotics, since after serious medication, dysbiosis may begin. Before each milking, as a preventive measure, you need to make it a rule to wash your hands with antibacterial soap. Before milking, the udder should be washed with warm water to remove any dirt.
After calving, at start-up, first of all, the calf is admitted to the female so that the calf first drinks colostrum, and only after that milk. If you do not follow such simple requirements, the cow will have milk stagnation that can provoke inflammation of the udder. The diet of lactating females should include foods and feeding to activate immunity.
At the slightest suspicion of a disease, it is necessary to act, otherwise there is a risk of getting neglected mastitis in cows, as a result of which irreparable damage will be caused to the farm. It is important not to forget that getting rid of the disease with folk remedies is not as effective as antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian.