Effects of intramammary infusion of Bifidobacterium breve on mastitis pathogens and somatic cell response in quarters from dairy cows with chronic subclinical mastitis.

The present study assessed the effects of intramammary infusion of Bifidobacterium breve (B. breve) on mastitis-causing pathogens and on the somatic cell counts (SCC) in lactating cows with chronic subclinical mastitis. The bacteriological cure rates of 42 quarters from 42 cows infected with Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium bovis, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and environmental streptococci were 18.2% (2/11), 14.3% (1/7), 58.8% (10/17), and 28.6% (2/7), respectively, on day 14 after B. breve infusion. In a second trial, B. breve was infused into 18 quarters from 18 cows with chronic subclinical mastitis from which pathogens had not been isolated; the rates of quarters showing SCC > 50 × 104 cells/ml prior to B. breve infusion that decreased to < 30 × 104 cells/ml after infusion were significantly (p < .01) increased to 61.1% (11/18) on day 14 compared to that prior to infusion (0/18). The intramammary infusion of B. breve appears to be a non-antibiotic approach for elimination of minor pathogens and decreasing SCC in quarters with chronic subclinical mastitis in dairy cows.