- 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