Environment: Lameness and Mastitis

Lameness and mastitis are the most costly diseases in milk production. Farmers are often suffer economic losses in milk production due to an inadequate management of the herd. The environment in stables is very important for development of various lesions and infections of the extremities and the mammary gland in cattle. One crucial factor is improper design of the cubicles. Due to short beds, claw and udder lesions are very common, despite adequate preventive measures. Injured areas are often colonized by different microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is very frequently isolated from the animals skin and from various surfaces in the stable. S. aureus is a common cause of infection in the bovine mammary gland and also an important pathogen in humans. The percentage of S. aureus udder infections in Slovenia was during the past years about 50%. In our recent study a total of 1282 milk samples taken from ...