EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF UDDER AND TEAT DISEASES IN DAIRY COWS

Abstract

An epidemiologic study was conducted on 581 dairy cows (indigenous and its crosses 371, exotic crosses 210) of 4 government establishments to find prevalence of udder and teat diseases and their association with udder and teat characteristic, milk yield and milk flow rate in dairy cows. Mastitis (25.5%) was most common disease followed by udder skin diseases (15.0%) and teat diseases (12.6%). Prevalence of injuries and other lesions was higher in the skin of fore left udder quarter (22.7%) and teat (17.7%) and rear left teat end (4.5%). Mastitis was found to be associated with Sahiwal and Sindhi cross cow, poor body condition, bottle shaped teat, teat with round end, injuries and other lesions to the udder and teat skin and teat diseases. Udder skin diseases were strongly associated with indigenous cows, cow aged 5-10 years, small milk vein, larger front udder, and bottle shaped teats and flat end teats. Milk flow rate was higher in Sahiwal and Sindhi cross cows, large milk vein, larger front udder, funnel and cylindrical teats and pointed teat ends. Risk factors of udder and teat diseases, milk yield and milk flow rate in high yielding indigenous and its cross cows were not similar to those of exotic cows and their crosses. The relationship of udder and teat diseases; and udder and teat characteristics varies with the genetic composition of the dairy cows. Therefore, further genomic study needs to confirm association of udder and teat diseases with host characteristics.