Title: Introduction of AMS in Italian dairy herds: Effects on teat tissues, intramammary infection risk, and spread of contagious pathogens
Abstract: This paper reports the results of a follow-up study undertaken in 2 herds focused on the impact of AMS on teat tissues, teak skin and orifice, the monitoring the dynamic of intramammary infections, the relationship between milking parameters, milk biochemical parameters, cows and IMI. The introduction of AMS in herd free from contagious pathogens didn't influence the frequency of IMI and the SCC. In herd characterized by the presence of Staph.aureus IMI, the frequency of IMI showed to increase progressively, very likely as a consequence of the spread of infections during milking. The presence of a significant number of herds with Staph.aureus IMI in different countries emphasizes the importance to address this aspect of AMS milking. Teat thickness changes showed different patterns in the two herds, probably because of the different type of AMS. In general terms the decrease in thickness after milking was relatively small in herd A and in the range -2% and -9% in herd B, The peak/average ratio (PAR) is the ratio between the peak flow and the average flow and it highly influenced NAGase mainly in infected animals. These results suggest that milking of infected quarters could increase the level of udder inflammation probably by prolonged milking. The results of this field trial confirm that AMS have no negative impact on IMI incidence, SCC and teat tissue conditions, when the initial cow health status and overall herd management are good. In presence of IMI, and when cows have more than 300 DIM the frequency of negative outcomes (increased SCC, increased NAGase activity, decrease in teat apex conditions) significantly increase and therefore improvement in AMS management and functionality are needed.
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-10-10
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 8
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