Mastitis incidence and bacterial causative agents isolated from lactating she-camel (Camelus dromedaries).

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the incidence of mastitis in lactating she-camel in North Kordofan State, Sudan. Furthermore, the causative bacterial agents were identified. Sixty lactating she-camels were examined clinically for mastitis. Thereafter milk samples (n= 216 samples) were collected from each quarter of the udders of the she-camels. The samples were subjected to white side test (WST), somatic cell count test (SCC) and bacteriological examination. The results of the clinical examination revealed that the incidence of mastitis was 25% (n=15 she-camels) while upon the WST and SCC were15% (n= 9 she-camels) and 13.33% (n= 8 she-camels), respectively. However, the incidence of mastitis (41.66%) was significantly high (p<0.001) when the milk samples were bacteriological examined (n=25 she-camel).The bacterial examination revealed that the predominant cause is Staphylococcus spp. (80.30%) followed by Bacillus spp. (9.09%), Pasteurella spp. (6.06%), Corynebacteria spp. (3.03%), and Streptococcus spp. (1.52). It is concluded that the mastitis prevails in lactating she-camels in North Kordofan State and the most predominant cause of mastitis are Staphylococcus species. Mastitis emerges as a serious hazard and problem that affect a resource essential for many nomadic tribes that lives in the desert and semi desert areas. A national program to diagnose and compact this disease should be launched.