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The prevalence of heifer mastitis and its associated risk factors in Huanggang, Central China

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Abstract

The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of heifer clinical mastitis (HCM) and heifer subclinical mastitis (HSCM), isolate HCM-causing bacteria, and assess the association of some risk factors in Huanggang, Central China. A total of 1,374 lactating heifers from three dairy farms were examined in the present study; 22.64 % of heifers were positive for mastitis, out of which, 3.86 and 18.78 % were with HCM and HSCM, respectively. Of the 67 HCM samples, 91.05 % were single growth, 7.46 % mixed growth, and 1.49 % no bacterial growth. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) accounted for 30.98 % of the isolates followed by Escherichia coli (29.58 %), Staphylococcus aureus (16.9 %), and Streptococcus uberis (11.27 %). Logistic regression analyses showed that heifer milk yield lower than 3 L had the highest prevalence of HCM compared to heifer milk yield of more than 3 L (P < 0.01), and prevalence of HCM was significantly high in heifers with the presence of teat lesions (P < 0.01). Moreover, the heifer milk yield lower than 3 L had the highest prevalence of HSCM compared to heifer milk yield of more than 3 L (P < 0.01). These two factors were significantly associated with the occurrence of heifer mastitis, which needs to be considered in the prevention and control strategies of the disease.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by Guangxi Department of Science and Technology and Yangtze University; the authors are thankful to these organizations. The authors are also grateful for the cooperation of the dairy farmers in the conduct of this study.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingmi Road 88#, Jingzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Feng Li Yang, Yu Ying Yang, Da Chun Gong & Xiao Shan Li

  2. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau of Huangzhou, Bayi Road 3#, Huanggang, People’s Republic of China

    Chen Shen

  3. College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Daxue Road 100#, Nanning, People’s Republic of China

    Bao Xiang He

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  1. Feng Li Yang
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  2. Chen Shen
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  3. Bao Xiang He
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Correspondence to Xiao Shan Li.

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Yang, F.L., Shen, C., He, B.X. et al. The prevalence of heifer mastitis and its associated risk factors in Huanggang, Central China. Trop Anim Health Prod 47, 87–92 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0689-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0689-z

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