Le infezioni intramammarie nelle manze

Heifers represent the future of a dairy herd and they should start their productive career with a healthy and well developed udder, capable of producing an optimal amount of high quality milk. However, a high proportion of them has infected mammary quarters at calving, with coagulase negative staphylococci being the most common cause; Staphylococcus aureus and environmental pathogens might also be found. The longer these infections persist, the larger the impact on udder health and milk production will be. The analysis of risk factors, diet, somatic cell count and lactation issues are key points for the management of intramammary infections in dairy heifers.