New Medicine for Bovine Mastitis

• 27 Oct 2021

Why in News

Recently, the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) has developed a poly-herbal medicine called Mastirak Gel to treat Mastitis in Dairy Cattle.

• NIF is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), which renovates indigenous technologies based on farmer’s wisdom.

Key Points

• Significance of Mastirak Gel:
  
  • It can improve the udder (Milk producing part) health.
  • It reduces inflammation which is detrimental to the udder.
  • It also reduces the use of antibiotics and helps in the cost-effective management of the disease.
    • Treatment of infected animals with antibiotics poses a public health hazard.
• Mastitis
  
  • About:
    
    • Mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary gland, is the most common and the most expensive disease of dairy cattle throughout most of the world.
      
      • Several types of bacteria cause distinctly different mastitis infections.
    • Antibiotic infusions into the udder nearly always cure the clinical disease but may not eliminate the bacterial infection.
  • Cause:
    
    • Although stress and physical injuries may cause inflammation of the gland, infection by invading bacteria or other microorganisms (fungi, yeasts and possibly viruses) is the primary cause of mastitis.
    • Infections begin when microorganisms penetrate the teat canal and multiply in the mammary gland.
  • Prevention:
    
    • New infections are prevented by focusing management efforts on reducing the presence of pathogens on the teat end.
    • The single most important management practice to prevent transmission of new infections is the use of an effective germicide as a post milking teat dip.
  • Impact:
    
    • It can affect farm productivity due to fall in milk quality, thus impacting income-generating activities.
    • It reduces milk yields, increases the cost of production and makes milk less valuable for liquid consumption and manufacture.

Source: PIB