Prevalence of mastitis and associated risk farms among selected farms in Ruteete sub-county, Kabarole district

Abstract

Mastitis especially the subclinical form is one of the major constraints of dairy production and airy industry globally. The study was to establish the prevalence of mastitis and associated risk factors on selected dairy farms in Ruteete sub-county, Kabarole district. All the milking cows on the selected farms were physically examined for clinical mastitis and all tested with California Mastitis Test. A total of 80 composite milk samples were collected aseptically, and were subjected to bacteriological analysis in Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL), at Makerere University. Mastitis prevalence was at 75% after bacteria culturing with all herds infected. On bacterial culture and isolation, Staphylococci (CNS) 198(61.1%) was most isolated followed by Streptococcus 51(15.7%), E.coli 30(9.3%), Staphylococcus aureus 18(5.6%), other Staph Spp 18(5.6%), and Klebsiella 9(2.8%) being the least isolated. Mastitis was more common among farms that had cross breeds, poor milking practices, good condition of the milking parlour. In conclusion, mastitis was prevalent on all farms, being more significant on farms doing hand milking and using tap water (P-value 0.001). It was recommended that farmers should be senstised about mastitis and the associated risk factors, better affordable mastitis control programs should be used by the farmers like good farm hygiene practices.