THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS IN BUFFALOES

The present investigation was carried out to study the therapeutic efficacy of marbofloxacin along with vitamin E, selenium and trisodium citrate against sublinical mastitis in buffaloes. The study was carried out on lactating buffaloes maintained at different organized dairy farms in and around Bidar, Karnataka. Screening of subclinical mastitis was done by California Mastitis Test (CMT) and Electrical Conductivity (EC). Milk samples positive for subclinical mastitis were considered for isolation and identification of bactria pathogens by cultural examination and biochemical tests. 18 out of 81 lactating buffaloes were found positive for subclinical mastitis affecting one or two quarters giving a quarter wise prevalence of 11.33% and animal wise prevalence of 22.22%. Out of 27 positive milk samples 14 (51.85%) were found positive for Staphylococcus spp. followed by Streptococcus spp. (33.33%) and E. coli (14.81%). The antibiogram of the bacterial isolates to standard antibiotic discs determined by disc diffusion method revealed highest sensitivity to gentamicin and enrofloxacin followed by cefteriaxone, moxifloxacin, cefoperazone, tetracycline and least sensitive to amoxicillin with clavalanic acid. Positive quarters treated with single dose of marbofloxacin at the rate of 8 mg/kg body weight intramuscularly recorded the efficacy of 58.33%. Positive quarters treated with marbofloxacin single dose along with vit E, selenium and trisodium citrate recorded the efficacy of 80%. Hence, marbofloxacin along with vit E, selenium and trisodium citrate may be used effectively to treat subclinical mastitis in buffaloes.