Therapeutic and prophylactic effect of prepartum antibiotic infusion in heifers.
Prepartum bacteriologic examination of secretions from 42 dairy heifers 12-14 weeks prepartum revealed a total of 24 Staphylococcus aureus infected quarters, 53 Staphylococcus species infected quarters, and 20 Streptococcus species infected quarters. Prepartum intramammary therapy of primigravid dairy heifers with two commercially available dry cow antibiotics (penicillin-novobiocin or cephapirin) resulted in cure rates of 94%, 97%, and 100% for S. aureus, Staphylococcus species, and Streptococcus species intramammary infections (IMI), respectively. No protective effect was observed for dry cow treatment of uninfected quarters of heifers for any of the antibiotic preparations. No antibiotic was detectable in heifer secretions collected at parturition indicating that antibiotic concentrations may have fallen below protective levels prior to parturition.
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Mastitis Research Laboratory, Hill Farm Research Station, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Homer 71040-9604, USA.
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D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002514:Cephapirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013291:Streptococcus
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D002514:Cephapirin