Possible Risk Factors Associated with Mastitis in Indigenous Cattle in Punjab, Pakistan

The present study was conducted on 453 lactating cattle of various breed present at 21 farms. The milk samples from these animals were collected to diagnose mastitis using California Mastitis Test (CMT). The epidemiological data related to animals and management was collected and analyzed to draw conclusions. The results of t-test revealed significant association between body weight, udder depth, and lower teat end to floor distance (P 0.01) with mastitis. The bivariate frequency analysis revealed significant association for lactation stage (P 0.0001), teat end to floor distance, parity, udder shape, teat shape, live body weight, teat and/or udder pathology, use of oxytocin, feeding system and milk leakage with mastitis. The results of logistic regression analysis revealed significant negative association between teat length, frequency of culling and number of attendants, while positive association between mastitis teat involved, teat diameter (apex, mid and base), milk leakage, udder shape, pendulous udder, feeding system, udder depth, teat shape, calf suckling, milk yield, teat and/or udder pathology and live body weight. From the results of present it can be concluded that some risk factors were strongly associated with mastitis in cattle.