Strategische Ansätze zur Bekämpfung von Mykoplasmenmastitiden

Bovine mastitis caused by Mycoplasma and in particular by Mycoplasma (M.) bovis is a serious animal-health problem for (bigger) dairy herds. It is a highly contagious disease with low infectious doses and with high amounts of shedding This can lead to a rapid dissemination of the infections in a herd followed by milk yield decline. After appearance of typical clinical cases the disease is often self-limiting, disappearing within months of outbreaks sometimes without intervention. Intramammary infections with Mycoplasma are largely untreatable by chemotherapy. All recommended control measures are based on the prevention of new infections of the mammary glands by identification and removal of infected animals from the herd. Differences exist in the selection of animals to be examined (all animals of the herd or subgroups) and in the type of removal of the animals from the herd (slaughter or separation). Because a risk assessment of different strategic measures is not possible yet, different strategic approaches are used in the world. The article explains the different approaches.