@article{MAKHILLJAVA2010982172,
    title = {Effects of Precalving Antibiotic Treatment on Mastitis and Individual Somatic Cell Count in Heifers},
    journal = {Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances},
    volume = {9},
    number = {8},
    pages = {1245-1249},
    year = {2010},
    issn = {1680-5593},
    doi = {javaa.2010.1245.1249},
    url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1680-5593&doi=javaa.2010.1245.1249},
    author = {Ayhan,Mehmet,Seyda,Bulent,Armagan,Mehmet,Isfendiyar and},
    keywords = {Mastitis,precalving intramammary antibiotic treatment,somatic cell count,lactation,heifer},
    abstract = {In this experiment, effectiveness of antibiotic treatment was evaluated by bacteriology and Somatic Cell Count (SCC). Ninety-six heifers were divided randomly into two groups: either to be treated with antibiotics (200 mg cephalexin monohydrate and 250 mg neomycin) 45 days prior to expected calving date (Group 1, n = 41) or not treated (Group 2, n = 55). Bacteriologic tests were used for detection of infected quarters. Of the quarters, 58.3% had infection at least in one quarter before calving. Mastitis pathogens were isolated from 31% of the quarters. In the treatment group, 43 of 52 infected quarters (82.6%) were cured but new infections (n = 43) were detected in the beginning of the lactation. Spontaneous cure rate was 69.3% in the control group and new infection rate (24.2%) was lower than the treated group. The treatment was effective for reducing prepartum Intramammary Infections (IMI) and persistent IMI; it was however inadequate to protect the quarters from new IMI in the beginning of lactation (p&gt;0.05). Precalving antibiotic treatment was however quite effective for reducing individual SCC. There were less quarters (n = 5) with high SCC (&gt;400.000 cells mL<SUP>-1</SUP>) in the treated group than the control group. In conclusion, antibiotic treatment prepartum may be necessary to reduce incidence of mastitis and improve quality of milk.}
    }