Ja. Ameh et Is. Tari, Observations on the prevalence of caprine mastitis in relation to predisposing factors in Maiduguri, SMALL RUMIN, 35(1), 2000, pp. 1-5
Mastitis in goats was investigated by a survey made in four locations of Ma
iduguri Metropolitan Council. A total of 300 goats were examined. The resul
ts of physical examinations of mammary glands by palpation and milk secreti
on were used to determine clinical mastitis. Bacteriological examination of
milk samples was done in all milk collected from mastitic goats and some s
elected control animals. A total of 51 (17%) goats had mastitis; out of the
se 16 (31%) had both halves of the udder affected, whereas the remaining 35
(68%) had only one half of udder affected. Of the 50 samples from apparent
ly normal goat udders, 20 (40%) had bacterial growth, There was no associat
ion between teat diameter, teat-end-to-floor distance and mastitis (p > 0.0
5). There was an association between teat injuries and mastitis (p < 0.05).
Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were most commonly isolated fro
m the mastitic goat udders, Other bacteria isolated were coagulase negative
Staphylococci, Bacillus spp, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Pseudomon
as aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis, It is suggested
that because of the prevalence of mastitis in this species, farmers should
be made aware of the problem so as to institute preventive and control mea
sures to reduce losses due to this condition in dairy goats. (C) 2000 Elsev
ier Science B.V. All rights reserved.