Prevention of mastitis in cows of the lactation period with the use of iodine-containing disinfection products

Data on the effectiveness of treating the cow mammary gland nipples with disinfection preparations: before milking («Tepol-Odnokhlorysty iodine», «Tepol-Zakhyst-Oksypina») and after milking («Tepol-Zakhyst-Iodine») with the aim of preventing mastitis in cows lactation period have been presented in this article. The experimental part of the work was carried out on 25 cows of the first half of lactation. 5 groups of animals were formed, 5 animals in each group. Cows are the Ukrainian Red Pied and Ukrainian Black Pied breeds, aged from 3 to 8 years, body weight from 400 to 550 kg. During a general clinical study of the cow mammary gland, attention was paid to skin colour, symmetry of the udder parts, soreness, skin surface temperature, the presence or absence of adverse reactions to drugs (inflammation, allergic reaction). A thermographic study of the mammary gland was performed every second day during the entire experiment on a fixed animal in a standing position. Total microbial contamination was determined by the method of consecutive dilutions with further sowing on a nutrient medium. The research of bacterial contamination of the udder skin and milk, the determination of the somatic cell number in milk was carried out at the beginning of the experiment, on the 7th and 14th day. Samples for somatic milk cell number studying were taken during morning milking in 40 ml tubes. The content of somatic cells in milk samples was determined by an instrument «Somacount-150». The subclinical form of mastitis was diagnosed using a California rapid test. A positive reaction was determined by the formation of a jelly-like clot. Using all «Tepol» experimental preparations, their positive effect on the bacterial contamination of the udder nipple skin and milk, as well as the number of somatic cells in the milk of cows, was established. The best result was obtained by sequential treatment with the preparations «Tepol-Odnokhlorystyi iodine», «Tepol-Zakhyst-Oksypina» and «Tepol- Zakhyst-iodine», in comparison with the control group, the amount of mesophilic aerobic and optional anaerobic microorganisms in the washout from the nipples and in the milk of the experimental group cows was lower by 74.2%-80.6% (P<0.001) and 85.2%-90.5% (P<0.001) respectively, and the content of somatic cells in milk – by 41-49.2%. The above mentioned preparations, when used correctly, can be used to comprehensively prevent mastitis in cows and improve milk quality, since their use reduces the somatic cell number and the skin bacterial contamination of the udder nipples and milk.