PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS OF BUFFALOE (BUBALUS BUBALIS) MASTITIS IN CENTRAL ZONE OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The bubaline mastitis is the inflammation of the parenchyma of the mammary gland of buffaloes either may be traumatic, infectious or toxic in nature and have economic importance in the dairy industry worldwide. This loss is mostly due to the severity of the infection, management practices, regional conditions, reduced milk production, increased treatment costs, and potential premature culling of affected animals. Mastitis can be categorized as clinical and subclinical type on the bases of clinical sign and symptoms. Clinical mastitis (CM) was detected by milk composition and morphology of both fore and hind quarters. Subclinical mastitis (SCM) was recognized by various standard tests.

The current research study was designed to identify the prevalence, bacteriology and both extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors in three buffaloes breed from five selected districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In the present study, five hundred (500) milk samples were collected randomly from Nili-Ravi, Kundhi and Azakheli buffalo’s breeds. The duration of sample collection was January 2022 to January 2023. For the detection of Subclinical mastitis (SCM), various field tests such as Surf Field Mastitis Test(SFMT), California mastitis test (CMT), Ultrasonic milk analyzer, electric conductivity (EC) and somatic cell counts SCC (cell/ml) and various biochemical test such as Indole, Methyl Red, Voges-Proskauer, Citrate (IMViC) tests and catalase test were performed. In result total ten bacterial species were isolated as Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, K. pneumoniae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus uberis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pyrogenes. The highest prevalence of bacteria was of Staphylococcus aureus which was the most frequently recovered bacterial species in all buffaloes breed Nili Ravi, Kundhi and Azakheli with percentage of 25.86%, 23.80% and 23.07% respectively, followed by E.coli, with 20.86%, 21.95% and 17.94%. Streptococcus agalactiae 16.36%, 17.07% and 20.52%. Streptococcus pyrogenes was founded only in Nili-Ravi breed. Period wise prevalence in all breeds was noted as dry group, (36%), the lactating group was 24% and period before weaning or milking was 40%. Area wise prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus was high in Peshawar (46%), followed by Charsadda (20%), Nowshehra (13%), Mardan (13%) and Swabi (06%). The overall quarter wise prevalence was accounted 53%, 42% and 33.33% in Nili Ravi, Kundhi and Azakheli breeds respectively. Month wise prevalence was founded more in summer follow by winters, spring and autumn all these prevalence results based on field test and biochemical tests. The values of electric conductivity (EC) and somatic cell counts (SCC) variables were transformed into base 10 logarithms. The relationship of the electric conductivity (EC) and somatic cell counts (SCC) variables with fixed effects was analyzed by using one-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) and the mean differences were determined by the Schaffer’s test.

It is concluded from our study that statistical analysis of intrinsic risk factors revealed significant differences (p <0.05) in the prevalence of mastitis among breed, stage of lactation and body condition score. Similarly, production system, previous mastitis exposure, hygiene practice and type of floor were extrinsic risk factors significantly associated with the occurrence of subclinical mastitis (SCM) in different breeds of buffaloes in district Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan and district Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan.