Comparison efficacy of two intramammary ointments (ceftiofur and Cefquinome) in treatment of dairy cows with clinical and subclinical mastitis

Mastitis is a common disease that decreases milk yield and quality in lactating cows. Because of higher treatment cost and higher culling rate, mastitis causes economical losses in the herd. So, earlier diagnose and treatment of mastitis with appropriate antibiotics could reduce treatment cost and culling rate in cow. Cows in this study were divided in 2 groups including cows with subacute clinical mastitis (n=25) and cows diagnosed with subclinical mastitis (n=49). The basis for clinical mastitis selection was the presence of abnormal milk in forms of clot and/or colorless or yellow watery discharge, and for subclinical mastitis was more than 4 × 106 somatic cells per milliliter of their affected quarters milk. In clinical cases, treatment was performed by daily administration of intramammary ointment Spectramast® LC (ceftiofur hydrochloride) for two to ultimately five times (in cases with abnormal secretions 48 hours after treatment commencement) (n=14) or Cobactan ® LC (cefquinome sulphate) after three to five consequent milking sessions (n=11). In Spectramast group treatment of subclinical mastitis was done by infusion of two syringes, 24 hours’ interval, while Cobactan group cows were treated by applying this ointment after three consecutive milking. Milk samples of both clinical and
subclinical cases were collected for bacterial culture and in the cases with subclinical mastitis, the sampling were done at the beginning of the study (pretreatment) as well as 14 days after the last treatment for evaluating of somatic cell changes. According to provided results, there was not any significant differences in the bacteriological cure rate of two antibiotic groups in both clinical and subclinical cases, clinical cure rate in clinical cases and SCC in subclinical cases