Efficacy of dry treatment in Santa Inês ewes using intramammary cefalonium

Abstract

The efficacy of dry-off treatment of Santa Inês sheep using cefalonium intramammary in curing chronic intramammary infections and preventing new infeccions during the dry-off period and during the following lactation was studied. A total of 62 Santa Inês sheep on one farm in their second, third or more lactation were divided in three groups according their bacteriological condition. The first group (control) didn´t receive any kind of treatment at drying off, the second (prevent) and the third (cure) group received at drying off intramammary treatment with a commercial cattle dry-off treatment containing cefalonium anidrum. No significant difference (p >0.05) in the cure rates between groups in all samplings analysed was found. New infection rates in the prevent, treated and control group were 13.5, 14.7 and 5.0%, respectively, at 10-15 days post-partum, 16.2, 8.8 and 0%, respectively, at 20-25 days post-partum; 13.5, 14.7 and 15.0%, respectively, at 30-35 days post-partum and 16.2, 5.9 and 0%, respectively, at 40-45 days post-partum. Significant difference (p<0.05) was found at 20-25 days post-partum and at 40-45 days post-partum. These results showed that dry-off treatment contribute in therapy and control of sheep mastitis, maintaining health udders in the herd.