MASTITIS IN EWES

Mastitis in ewes takes three clinical forms: acute, subclinical, and c hronic. Chronic mastitis can be focal or diffuse. Diffuse chronic mast itis is associated with maedi/visna virus infections. The other forms are associated with bacterial infection. Mastitis can led to mortality in ewes and lambs, to decreases in lamb growth, and to decreased yiel d of milk products from milking ewes. Intramammary infusion of antibio tics, like that used for dairy cows, can help prevent mastitis in ewes . The advisability of various treatment and control methods depends on the purpose of the sheep, the type of management, and the value of th e individual ewe. This article reviews the various forms of ewe mastit is and discusses the clinical signs, economic impact, causative agents , epizootiology, diagnosis, treatment and control, and prevention of m astitis. It also discusses the role of the California mastitis test an d somatic cell counts for detecting subclinical cases of mastitis in e wes.