Assessment of Hygienic Milk Production and Prevalence of Mastitis in Dairy Cows in Jikawo Woreda of Nuer Zone, Gambella Region, Ethiopia

Yien Deng Pathot, Berhan Tamir Merso, Getahun Asebe Gulich

Abstract


A cross sectional study was conducted in Jikawo Woreda of Nuer Zone, Gambella Regional State in Southwest Ethiopia, with the objectives of assessing hygienic milk production practices, prevalence of mastitis and associated risk factors from December 2013 to April 2014. Data were collected through administering semi-structured questionnaire and conducting California Mastitis screening test across the randomly selected households of purposively selected kebeles in the Woreda. From 145 households respondents 95.17% (138) were not practicing in washing of udder while only 4.83% (7) practiced washing udder before milking only after the death of the calf. The California Mastitis Screening Test was performed on 121 lactating dairy cows, of these; about 60.33% (73) showed mastitis cases. The prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis was found to be 11.57% (14) and 48.76% (59), respectively. Test of quarter level prevalence of mastitis was done on 484 quarters and it was found that 9.32% (45) and 37.89% (183) of the quarters had clinical and subclinical cases, respectively. The quarter level prevalence of clinical and sub clinical mastitis from the highest to lowest rate of infection was left front teats (LF) 53.72% (65), right rear teats (RR) 50.00% (60), left rear teats (LR) 45.56% (55) and right front teats (RF) 39.65% (48). Those animals which were affected with tick infestation (χ2 =11.14, p< 0.003), with teat injury (χ2 =7.14, P<0.008) and with history of mastitis (χ2=8.62, P<0.003) were affected with mastitis compared to their counter parts. The occurrence of mastitis based on age, stage of lactation and parity was higher in adult cow (6-9yrs) (χ2=7.87, P<0.020), in mid (5-7month) lactation (χ2 =6.41, P<0.041), and in cow with moderate (4-7) parity (χ2=11.79, P<0.003) respectively. In conclusion, the hygienic milk production activity in the area as a whole requires an intervention. Mastitis has been found to be a serious disease in the area. This indicates proper mastitis control should be practiced by maintaining an appropriate cow's environment and udder health management program by the farmers including further investigation on the etiological agents associated with prevalence of mastitis to undertake measurable control options of mastitis in the area.


Keywords


Dairy cow, hygienic, milk, mastitis, prevalence, Jikawo, Nuer, Gambella, Ethiopia

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