EFFECT OF DIFFERENT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS MASTITIS VACCINES ON THE MILK YIELD, FAT, PROTEIN AND SOMATIC CELL COUNT IN BUFFALOES

A. SHAKOOR, M. ATHAR, G. MUHAMMAD, S. U. RAHMAN¹, A. A. BUTT², I. HUSSAIN¹ AND R. AHMAD³

Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, ¹Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of  Agriculture, Faisalabad, ²Livestock and Dairy Development, Punjab, ³Livestock Production Research Institute, Bahadernagar, Okara, Pakistan 

Abstract

    Four Staph. aureus mastitis vaccines were evaluated in five different groups of non-mastitic healthy pregnant buffaloes. These vaccines [live attenuated (Group B1), simple bacterin (Group B2), dextran sulphate adjuvanted (Group B3) and oil adjuvanted (Group B4)] were administered to 20 non-mastitic healthy pregnant buffaloes, while the group 5 was kept as unvaccinated control. Each vaccine was administered twice @ 5 ml IM at 60 and 30 days pre-partum. The effect of these vaccines on milk yield, fat, protein, and somatic cell count was studied till 4^th month post partum. There was a significant difference in the milk yield, fat and protein percentage between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups, while difference of these parameters among the vaccinated groups of buffaloes was non significant. All the vaccines reduced the somatic cell count significantly as compared to control group. Linear somatic cell count scouring method indicated the highest milk loss/lactation in the control group (1086 litres), followed by bacterin (703 litres), dextran sulphate (549 litres), live attenuated (526 litres) and oil based (577 litres) vaccines.

Key words: Staph. aureus vaccine, mastitis, milk quality, quantity and somatic cell count.