EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION OF LACTATING BOVINE MAMMARY-GLANDS WITH STREPTOCOCCUS-UBERIS IN QUARTERS COLONIZED BY CORYNEBACTERIUM-BOVIS

  • 1 May 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 48  (5) , 749-754
Abstract
Twenty-seven quarters of 18 lactating dairy cows were inoculated intramammarily with 3.6 .times. 104 colony-forming units (CFU) of a strain of Streptococcus uberis isolated from a cow with clinical mastitis. Before quarters were inoculated, 22 were considered as naturally colonized with Corynebacterium bovis, and 5 were considered bacteriologically negative. Streptococcus uberis was isolated from all quarters within 2 days after inoculation, and all quarters developed clinical mastitis by 3 days after inoculation. Mastitis was acute, and most cows had increased rectal temperatures. The number of somatic cells increased significantly (P < 0.05), and milk production decreased significantly. In many cows, rectal temperatures remained increased, and Str uberis was isolated from infected glands after intramammary and systemic antimicrobial treatments were given. A decreased number (110 CFU) of the same strain of Str uberis caused equally severe mastitis in 3 quarters colonized with C. bovis and in 1 bacteriologically negative quarter in 2 cows. Streptococcus uberis was isolated from all inoculated quarters, and all quarters developed clinical mastitis by 2 days after inoculation. Two quarters colonized with C. bovis and 2 bacteriologically negative quarters were inoculated once with 25 CFU and once with 240 CFU of a different strain of Str uberis (ATCC 27958). Streptococcus uberis was never isolated from inoculated quarters, and changes in milk yield or number of somatic cells were not observed.