THE EFFECT OF TREATMENT OF COWS SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS WITH CEFALEXINE AND COMBINATION OF CEFALEXINE WITH AMPICILLIN

This investigation evaluated the effect of treatment of subclinical mastitis with cefalexin and combination of cefalexin with ampicillin. Thirty cows with somatic cell count (SCC) >400,000/ml and with sensitivity of milk microflora to cefalexin and ampicillin were used for the experiment. The cows were divided into 3 equal groups (Groups 1-3) of 10 cows in each. Groups 1 and 2 were treated with cephalexin, and cephalexin with ampicillin. Group 3 was served as control and treated with saline. Antibiotics were injected 3 times with 12 hour interval. The therapeutic effect was evaluated according to SCC and bacteriological tests of milk on days 0, 30 and 60. In Group 1, 60 days after treatment E. coli and Streptococcus agalactiae decreased on 20 %, and coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) on 80 %, respectively. No influence on Staphylococcus aureus and SCC was registered. In Group 2, 60 days after treatment E. coli and Streptococcus agalactiae decreased on 30 % and 40 %. However, there was no influence on CNS and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, on day 30 in Groups 1 and 2 there was decretion of SCC 11.6 %. (P>0.05) and 49.87 % (P<0.05), respectively. In conclusion, our study showed that cefalexin and combination of cefalexin with,ampicillin are suitable for treatment of mastitis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae and E. coli, and not effective for treatment of CNS and Staphylococus aureus.