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Diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in Santa Inês and Morada Nova sheep in southeastern Brazil

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate different screening limits for the California mastitis test (CMT) and the somatic cell count (SCC) in previous diagnoses of subclinical mastitis in Santa Inês and Morada Nova ewes, which were reared under the same management conditions. Additionally, cutoff points were defined for SCC in accordance with the sensitivity and specificity of the test. A total of 907 mammary halves were subjected to CMT and SCC. The disease was confirmed by means of microbiological identification. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were the microorganisms with highest occurrence. The CMT score of 1+ provided adequate sensitivity and specificity at all periods of lactation investigated. This score showed good agreement with SCC, >400,000 cells mL−1. Higher cell counts favored higher diagnostic specificity. They can be used when producers have financial difficulties relating to treatment or culling of sheep with subclinical mastitis. However, producers should be warned about the risk of false-negative results in the flock.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), Embrapa Southeast Livestock, Rod. Washington Luís, Km 234, Caixa Postal 339, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Luiz Francisco Zafalon & Raul Costa Mascarenhas Santana

  2. Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

    Lucas Eduardo Pilon & Guilherme Aparecido Fim Júnior

Authors
  1. Luiz Francisco Zafalon
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  2. Raul Costa Mascarenhas Santana
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  3. Lucas Eduardo Pilon
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  4. Guilherme Aparecido Fim Júnior
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luiz Francisco Zafalon.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All the procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution where the studies were conducted.

Funding

São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp; Grant number 2012/03847-1).

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Zafalon, L.F., Santana, R.C.M., Pilon, L.E. et al. Diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in Santa Inês and Morada Nova sheep in southeastern Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 967–972 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1046-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1046-1

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