Cost of mastitis and its prevention in four dairy cattle herds on St Croix, US Virgin Islands.
Nonclinical mastitis in the dairy herds on St Croix, US Virgin Islands, represents a prevalent (97%) and severe problem (44% of quarters had California Mastitis Test results of 2 or 3). Streptococcus agalactiae (26%) and Staphylococcus aureus (22%) were the most prevalent pathogens. More than half (54%) of all organisms isolated and tested for resistance were resistant to ampicillin and benzyl penicillin; 29% were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfadiazine. Estimates of the loss of milk production suggested that there was a loss of 4.40 to 13.33 lb/cow/day. The yearly economic cost of prevention was estimated for each cow ($22.07); yearly income loss attributable to mastitis was estimated to be from $339 to $1,022/cow/yr. Suggestions for the prevention and control of mastitis are included.
Ahl
A S
AS
Department of Natural Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
Gibson
C D
CD
Kirk
J H
JH
Kaneene
J B
JB
Ahl
J G
JG
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014767:United States Virgin Islands