BOVINE MASTITIS

Recently, the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) has developed a poly-herbal medicine called Mastirak Gel to treat Mastitis in Dairy Cattle.
NIF is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), which renovates indigenous technologies based on farmer’s wisdom.

Important points:

It can improve the udder (Milk producing part) health.
It reduces inflammation which is detrimental to the udder.
It also reduces the use of antibiotics and helps in the cost-effective management of the disease.
Treatment of infected animals with antibiotics poses a public health hazard.

Mastitis

Mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary gland, is the most common and the most expensive disease of dairy cattle throughout most of the world.
Several types of bacteria cause distinctly different mastitis infections.
Antibiotic infusions into the udder nearly always cure the clinical disease but may not eliminate the bacterial infection.
Although stress and physical injuries may cause inflammation of the gland, infection by invading bacteria or other microorganisms (fungi yeasts and possibly viruses) is the primary cause of mastitis.
Infections begin when microorganisms penetrate the teat canal and multiply in the mammary gland.

Prevention:

New infections are prevented by focusing management efforts on reducing the presence of pathogens on the teat end.
The single most important management practice to prevent transmission of new infections is the use of an effective germicide as a post milking teat dip.
It can affect farm productivity due to fall in milk quality, thus impacting income-generating activities.
It reduces milk yields, increases the cost of production and makes milk less valuable for liquid consumption and manufacture.

SOURCE: THTE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT

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