Mastitis in dairy cattle: new diagnostic methods in

stables
ruminantia.it /mastitis-in-dairy-cattle-new-methods-for-diagnostics-in-the-stable/

Chiara Tommasoni

Mastitis represents one of the most frequently encountered pathologies in dairy cattle
farming , having a significant impact on the company's economy and representing the
main cause of the use of antibiotics . It is also essential to consider mastitis as a
multifactorial pathology , whose susceptibility is determined by numerous factors such
as the number and stage of lactation, milk production, anatomical conformation of the
breast, but above all by the immune conditions and the reactivity of the mammary gland
itself.

Considering the pathology from the perspective of animal welfare and business
economics, and taking into account the increasingly pressing problem of antimicrobial
resistance, it is essential to carry out adequate prevention and timely diagnosis .

For this reason, the use of field instruments represents one of the most important
challenges in the management of mastitis today: in addition to the California Mastitis Test
(CMT) and electrical conductivity, other methods that are increasingly being studied are
the On- Farm Culture, breast ultrasound, blood gas analysis and infrared thermography.

On-Farm Culture

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On-Farm Culture is a system that allows the veterinary surgeon a rapid approach to the
management of the clinical case of mastitis, while awaiting the bacteriological culture and
the sensitivity test in the laboratory. The first on-farm tests allowed the categorization of
microorganisms into Gram positive and negative in 24-32 hours. The more recent
chromogenic media, on the other hand, also allow for a possible differentiation of the
bacterial species , according to the color of the grown colony. In fact, when the
chromogenic substrate comes into contact with a specific microorganism after having
undergone hydrolysis, it releases a dye which is fixed to the microbial colonies, thus
differentiating them according to colour.

Several studies have demonstrated, if adequately applied, its usefulness in the

management of selective treatment , and therefore in reducing the use of
intramammary antimicrobials in case of clinical mastitis, both in the short and long term,
without affecting any relapses in the same quarter , somatic cell count (SCC), milk
production and animal survival rate.

Although the diagnostic performances are satisfactory, it is however necessary to take

into consideration how the type of microorganism involved and the manifestation of
mastitis can strongly influence them. Another important factor is represented by the
experience of the observer , as a greater aptitude for microbiological reading of milk
certainly leads to a facilitation of the most appropriate management choices.

Breast ultrasound
Breast ultrasound represents a non-invasive tool, whose usefulness in detecting lesions
or alterations of the parenchyma and nipple has already been demonstrated in many
studies. It also provides the possibility of identifying the presence of chronic lesions ,
which could a priori invalidate an antimicrobial treatment.

The ultrasound appearance of a healthy parenchyma is characterized by a

homogeneous texture with diffuse anechoic spots represented by blood vessels, alveoli
and milk ducts. The milk tank appears in physiological conditions as a large anechoic
area characterized by the presence of small hypoechoic particles corresponding to milk.

The main pathological findings that can be found are instead: non-homogeneous
hyperechoic parenchyma, abscesses, inhomogeneous parenchyma with hyperechoic
zones and gas formation, hematomas and inhomogeneous parenchyma with hypoechoic
zones. Based on the severity of the lesions found, a classification of the state of the
breast into four categories was proposed, with a variable range from physiological
pattern, to mild or moderate alterations, up to the presence of serious alterations in which
the normal structure of the parenchyma is difficult to distinguish.

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 Figure 1 – Ultrasound evaluation of a healthy
fourth mammary with longitudinal scan (B mode).
Frequency 6.5 MHz. Depth: 150 mm. Focus:
50mm.

Figure 2 – Ultrasound evaluation of breast quarter

affected by E. coli with longitudinal scan (B mode).
Frequency 6.5 MHz. Depth: 150 mm. Focus:
50mm. In particular, the presence of multiple
hyperechoic spots and non-homogeneous
parenchyma is highlighted.

Blood gas analysis

More recent is the study of the application of blood gas analysis to the diagnosis and
characterization of mastitis . The blood gas analyzer is a tool that allows a rapid
assessment of the patient's clinical conditions, providing an indication of the severity and
a possible prognosis of the current pathological state.

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A first study attempted to determine the clinical condition of the udder by evaluating its
permeability in cows with high SCC, taking into consideration sodium and potassium as
reference values. What emerged in these animals was a higher level of potassium and an
increased sodium/potassium ratio , therefore indicative of increased permeability of the
gland. The use of blood gas analysis to assess breast health would therefore be
indicated. Another potentially indicative value of mastitis could be that of blood glucose.
In fact, a significant decrease in the course of clinical mastitis has been detected. This
alteration could be traced to multiple explanations. The first would consider the
concomitant presence of a negative energy balance, which would lead to a reduction in
blood sugar, thus affecting the functionality of the immune system and predisposing to the
onset of mastitis itself. Other hypotheses would attribute it to an alteration of glucose
transport itself during an infectious process of the breast. However, being a still emerging
field, further investigations are necessary in order to validate objective and reliable
parameters for the diagnosis and characterization of mastitis.

Thermography
Thermography is a tool that allows, by measuring the infrared radiation emitted by a body,
to determine its surface temperature . In a thermography, the warmest region appears
red or white, while the coldest one is characterized by a blue or black color. Since mastitis
is an inflammatory process, it leads to an increase in the temperature of the body surface
and in particular of the fourth affected, which can be highlighted by thermography. In
support of this consideration, a significant positive correlation between quarter
temperature and SCC was confirmed.

However, when applying this technique it is necessary to take into account how it can be
influenced by numerous factors , such as for example possible mechanical rubbing of
the udder, solar radiation and wind speed, order and stage of lactation and pregnancy. It
has also been shown that the surface temperature of the forequarters has a greater
correlation with the SCC. This is due to the fact that the posterior regions of the udder are
more exposed to climatic variables and physical damage during milking, thus leading to
possible overestimations of the surface temperature during the analysis. For this reason it
is essential to calibrate the camera and establish a standard acquisition methodology and
measurement distance.

In conclusion, some methodologies are already extensively applied on a routine basis,

such as electrical conductivity, CMT and On-Farm Culture. Other methodologies, such as
blood gas analysis, breast ultrasound and thermography, are still emerging in the field
of mastitis and require further studies to establish objective diagnostic parameters
and prognostic index .

Taken from: Tommasoni, C.; Flower, E.; Lisuzzo, A.; Gianesella, M. “Mastitis in Dairy
Cattle: On-Farm Diagnostics and Future Perspectives.” Animals 2023, 13, 2538.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152538

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Figure 3 – Thermographic image of infected
quarter.

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