OCCURRENCE OF OVINE SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS DURING TWO CONSECUTIVE LACTATIONS IN A SANTA INES BREED HERD

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of ovine subclinical mastitis in two lactations, and the disease evolution in two consecutive lactations. Milk samples originated from a herd with 160 Santa Inês breed sheep. In the first lactation, milk samples were collected from ewes at 14 days post-partum and during the period near weaning. In the second lactation, milk samples were collected from the same animals at 14 days postpartum, at 52 days postpartum and at weaning. Screening of subclinical mastitis was carried out preliminarily by means of California Mastitis Test (CMT). Milk samples for microbiological culture were obtained from CMT-positive and CMT-negative mammary halves. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci were the most prevalent microorganisms isolated in two lactations. Ewes that remained with subclinical mastitis in lactation 1 were predominant. Spontaneous recoveries were significantly lower in the period between 52 days of lactation and weaning of lambs. No difference was observed regarding the progression of subclinical mastitis cases compared the two lactations (P>0.05).