Advancing mastitis assessment in dairy bovines via short milking tube thermography: A seasonal perspective.

In India, where dairy production leads globally, infrared thermography (IRT) and short milking tube thermography specifically are vital for managing mastitis. Therefore, the present study focuses on thermal imaging of the udder and short milking tube (SMT) of the milking machine during the peak milking process of Sahiwal cows and Murrah buffaloes during winter, summer, rainy and autumn seasons to identify sub-clinical (SCM) and clinical mastitis (CM) cases using the Darvi DTL007 camera. The udder health was assessed using the California Mastitis Test, Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and IRT throughout the year. Log10SCC and thermogram analysis revealed a difference (p < 0.01) between healthy, SCM, and CM cases during different seasons in both breeds. Further results showed an increase (p < 0.01) in SMT thermograms of SCM and CM cases compared to healthy quarters in Sahiwal cows during winter, summer, rainy, and autumn were 4.26 and 7.51, 2.37 and 4.47, 2.20 and 3.64, 2.90 and 4.94 ºC, respectively and for Murrah buffaloes were 3.56 and 5.55, 2.70 and 3.81, 1.72 and 3.10, 3.14 and 4.42ºC, respectively. The highest degree of increase in milking udder skin surface temperature and SMT of SCM and CM cases compared to healthy quarters was observed during the winter and the least during the rainy season. Thus, regardless of the seasons examined in this study, SMT thermograms effectively assessed SCM and CM.

Seasonal assessment of mastitis using thermogram analysis in murrah buffaloes.

Mastitis is a global threat that challenges dairy farmers' economies worldwide. Sub-clinical mastitis (SCM) beholds the lion's share in it, as its visible clinical signs are not evident and are challenging to diagnose. The treatment of intramammary infection (IMI) demands antimicrobial therapy and subsequent milk withdrawal for a week or two. This context requires a non-invasive diagnostic tool like infrared thermography (IRT) to identify mastitis. It can form the basis of precision dairy farming. Therefore, the present study focuses on thermal imaging of the udder and teat quarters of Murrah buffaloes during different seasons to identify SCM and clinical mastitis (CM) cases using the Darvi DTL007 camera. A total of 30-45 lactating Murrah buffalo cows were screened out using IRT regularly throughout the year 2021-22. The IMI was further screened using the California mastitis test. The thermogram analysis revealed a significant difference (p < 0.01) in the mean values of the udder and teat skin surface temperature of Murrah buffaloes between healthy, SCM, and CM during different seasons. The mean values of udder skin surface temperature (USST) during different seasons ranged between 30.28 and 36.81 °C, 32.54 to 38.61 °C, and 34.32 to 40.02 °C among healthy, SCM, and CM-affected quarters. Correspondingly, the mean values of teat skin surface temperature (TSST) were 30.52 to 35.96 °C, 32.92 to 37.55 °C, and 34.51 to 39.05 °C, respectively. Further results revealed an increase (p < 0.01) in the mean values of USST during winter, summer, rainy, and autumn as 2.26, 4.04; 2.19, 3.35; 1.80, 3.21; and 1.45, 2.64 °C and TSST as 2.40, 3.99; 2.28, 3.26; 1.59, 3.09; and 1.68, 2.92 °C of SCM, CM-affected quarters to healthy quarters, respectively. The highest incidence of SCM was observed during autumn and CM during winter. Henceforth, irrespective of the seasons studied in the present study, IRT is an efficient, supportive tool for the early identification of SCM.

Seasonal assessment of mastitis in crossbred goats: A thermographic approach.

Sub-clinical mastitis exhibits a higher prevalence in dairy goats than clinical mastitis, necessitating the adoption of non-invasive diagnostic techniques such as infrared thermography (IRT) to detect this economically significant production disease in the dairy sector. Accordingly, this study aims to employ IR imaging of the udder and teat quarters of lactating crossbred goats (Alpine × Beetal and Sanen × Beetal) across various seasons, utilising IRT, to discern cases of sub-clinical (SCM) and clinical mastitis (CM). Over a year, 100-110 lactating crossbred dairy goats underwent consistent IRT screenings, followed by a comprehensive evaluation of udder health status using the California mastitis test and somatic cell count (SCC). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to establish the cut-off values for different thermographic parameters in this study. The results revealed that the SCC increased significantly (p < 0.01) in healthy, SCM, and CM milk samples across the seasons. The analysis of ROC revealed a comparatively higher sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for udder thermograms during SCM than CM and vice versa for teat thermograms. IRT analysis reflected a difference (p < 0.01) in the udder and teat thermograms among quarters of healthy, SCM, and CM in summer, winter, autumn, and rainy seasons. A significant increase (p < 0.01) in udder thermograms was observed for quarters affected with SCM and CM relative to healthy, with an increase of 1.89 and 2.94 °C in winter, 0.85 and 1.63 °C in summer, 0.73 and 1.41 °C in rainy, and 1.33 and 2.38 °C in autumn, respectively. Similarly, for teat thermograms it was 1.79 and 2.81 °C in winter, 0.76 and 1.41 °C in summer, 0.70 and 1.37 °C in rainy, and 1.09 and 1.93 °C in autumn, respectively. Therefore, regardless of the seasons examined in this study, IRT proves to be an effective and supportive tool for early mastitis detection in lactating crossbred dairy goats.

Reduced sperm number of murrah (Bubalus bubalis) bull semen in french mini-straw affects kinetic and functional competence after cryopreservation.

BACKGROUND: Extensive dilution of cattle semen with tris-based extender compromises certain sperm kinetic and functional traits following cryopreservation. OBJECTIVE: To study sperm functions of buffalo bulls under high dilution rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four ejaculates were harvested twice a week from four buffalo bulls, and diluted to sperm concentrations of 80, 60, 40 and 20 million/mL. Diluted samples were filled in straws, equilibrated at refrigeration temperature for 4 h, and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Frozen sperm samples were thawed for evaluation of kinetic and functional attributes. RESULTS: Compared to 20 million/mL (million/mL) sperm sample, the total motility, progressive motility and rapid motility were reduced (P < 0.05) in 5 million/mL sample. The proportion of live sperm were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in 10, 15 and 20 million/mL samples than in 5 million/mL sample. The percentage of moribund sperm, dead sperm, and sperm with lipid per oxidation increased significantly (P < 0.05) in 5 million/mL sample. CONCLUSION: The reduction of sperm concentrations to < 10 million/mL affects post-thaw Buffalo sperm kinetic and functional attributes.. https://doi.org/10.54680/fr24110110712.

Early Detection of Sub-clinical Mastitis in Murrah Buffaloes through Udder Thermogram Analysis during the Natural Progression of Infection.

Mastitis is a global production disease that needs an intelligent solution to tackle effectively. Infrared Thermography (IRT) is a non-invasive technology that could be incorporated into routine day-to-day farm activities to monitor the health status of the animals. In this study, the udder health status was routinely monitored for 30 days among 41 Murrah buffaloes via IRT and the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Further, somatic cell count (SCC), microbial identification, and milk quality parameters were also estimated for representative samples. The thermal imaging data obtained was tabulated and back propagated from the 0th day to the -10th day and front propagated from the 0th day to +10th day for all the udder quarters. Results revealed that on the 0th day, the mean of udder skin surface temperature (USST) and teat skin surface temperature (TSST) showed a difference (p < 0.05) in the sub-clinical mastitis (SCM) and clinical mastitis (CM) affected quarters to the healthy quarters, and their degree of difference was the highest. The indication of infection was signaled during the -9th to -5th day to the 0th day in SCM and CM cases. There was a steep increment in the temperature from -2nd and -1st day to the 0th day of infection. Sometimes, some quarters show an increment in temperature due to mastitis during morning hours but recover by evening milking due to the animal's innate immune system. Thus, the initiation period in which the udder gets assaulted is crucial in the early assessment of SCM by monitoring temperature change using IRT.