Mastitis in cattle, the maximum cause for dairy losses

The losses from a disease called 'mastitis' in cattle have cost the Indian dairy sector up to a whopping Rs.6,000 crore, experts said today. Mastitis in dairy cattle is the persistent, inflammatory reaction of the udder tissue that causes huge discomfort to the animal and affects the quality and output of milk produced.
Krishna Reddy, General Manager, Karnataka Milk Federation, Bangalore Dairy, said that sub-clinical mastitis (not visible for diagnosis to the naked eye) alone resulted in losses of Rs.4,300 crore.
Losses due to mastitis are double than those incurred due to infertility; profits for a dairy farm are seriously affected by mastitis, he added.

The experts were speaking at the National Symposium on 'One Health'organised by the TransDisciplinary University (TDU) here.
Experts, veterinarians and farmers from the Netherlands, Ethiopia and Uganda shared their experience as to how indiscriminate use of antibiotics in their respective countries has caused untold damage to cattle and human health.
They hailed the Indian traditional knowledge of herbal medicines as a powerful tool to counter this challenge, according to a release by the organisers.

The coalition of these countries, including India, has now come up with a platform called 'One Health' to mark "collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals, plants and our environment", it said.

These experts, some of who also worked with local healers of traditional, Siddha and Unani methods, are working towards reducing the reckless use of antibiotics in treating animals as a starting point to promote One Health, the release said.
The symposium also discussed in depth issues pertaining to control of Antimicrobial Resistance - the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication previously used to treat them.
Sharing his experience on Ethno-herbal Medicine for Livestock and One Health, N.Punniamurthy, formerly Professor and Head, Ethnoveterinary Herbal Training and Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) TANUVAS said, "Mastitis is the single largest cause of economic losses in India, affecting 50 per cent of the herd.

Mastitis causes 70 per cent of all avoidable losses during milk production and reduces milk by 21 per cent and fat by 25 per cent, he said.