Recognition of Mycoplasma-induced mastitis is on the increase. Although Mycoplasma bovis is identified as the causative agent in more than 50 per cent of the mastitis cases, seven other Mycoplasma species have also been isolated. The mycoplasmas are commonly found in the microflora of the respiratory and urogenital tracts of normal cattle, where precipitating factors can initiate their role as ...

Genetic relationships between yield and type traits were investigated using multiple-trait REML procedures with an animal model. Computing strategies were developed to deal with large populations and numbers of traits. Data consisted of records for 3 production and 15 type traits for 20,836 primiparous cows from 1982 to 1988. The model included 2358 herd management effects, 28,749 animal effect...

A granddaughter design was used to locate quantitative trait loci determining conformation and functional traits in dairy cattle. In this granddaughter design, consisting of 20 Holstein Friesian grandsires and 833 sons, genotypes were determined for 277 microsatellite markers covering the whole genome. Breeding values for 27 traits, regarding conformation (18), fertility (2), birth (4), workabi...

Against the background of prevailing udder health problems on dairy farms, this paper discusses a new approach to mastitis control. Current udder health control programmes, such as the 'five-point plan', are highlighted and their drawbacks indicated. The concept and principles of hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) are introduced. The eight core elements of this concept are dealt wi...

The relationships between conformation and longevity traits were analysed in 58 493 Czech Fleckvieh cows first calved from 1994 to 2003. All cows were scored for conformation during the first lactation. Genetic correlations between longevity and conformation traits were estimated by bivariate runs using the VCE 4.0 program for variance component estimation. The values of heritability for confor...

The main purpose of this article is to describe interaction between physiology of lactation and milking machine. This is important in order to avoid bad influ­ ences (such as: high somatic cell count (SCC), mastitis, etc.). The paper is divided into two parts: The anatomy part describes udder characteristics needed for healthy udder and high milk yield. The milking machine part describes milkin...

INTRODUCTION Mastitis can occur at any stage of a cow’s productive life. Microbiological investigations of clinical bovine mastitis reveal a causative agent in 75–95% of cases. There is good evidence that microorganisms are involved in almost all cases. At least 137 infectious causes of bovine mastitis are known, but the majority of cases are caused by only a few common bacterial pathogens, nam...

The objective was to examine the direct and correlated responses of linear type, yield traits, and somatic cell scores (SCS) to divergent selection for predicted transmitting ability for type (PTAT) in Holsteins, while maintaining selection for yield traits across lines. For four generations, one-half of the University of Nebraska research Holstein herd was bred to Holstein sires with PTAT > 1....

BACKGROUND Radiation-induced skin reaction (RISR) is one of the most common and distressing side effects of radiotherapy in patients with cancer. It is featured with swelling, redness, itching, pain, breaks in skin, discomfort, and a burning sensation. There is a lack of convincing evidence supporting any single practice in the prevention or management of RISR. METHODS/DESIGNS This double-bli...