This document discusses the examination of the udder and milk for signs of mastitis in dairy cattle. It describes the normal anatomy of the udder and teats. Mastitis is defined as inflammation of the mammary gland and can be subclinical or clinical. It causes significant economic losses to dairy farmers. Mastitis is usually caused by bacteria that enter through the teat canal. It is diagnosed based on physical examination of the udder for signs of inflammation, California Mastitis Tests of milk samples, and culture analysis. Examination of milk samples can reveal clots or discoloration indicating mastitis.

1. Examination of
udder and milk
Dr. Karima Al Salihi

2. •The udder is responsible for milk production and
delivery of milk.
•Milk is the main source of income in dairy herds,
and conditions that reduce the quality or quantity
of milk will adversely affect the profit margin.
•In addition, conditions that affect the milking
process will increase the milking time and may
predispose the udder to mastitis.
•This lesson will describe the clinical examination
of the ligaments and the skin of the udder, the
teats, the mammary gland and the milk.

3. •The udder is composed of four mammary glands, each with its own
teat.
•The weight of the udder is supported by the medial and superficial and
deep lateral ligaments.
•These ligaments are attached to the pelvis and/or the abdominal
muscles.
•Each gland is composed of milk producing alveolar cells, a reservoir for
the milk produced called the gland cistern and a teat.

4. •The teat has an an- nular fold at the base which partially
separates the gland cistern from the teat cistern.
•The teat cistern is intermittently filled with milk from the gland
cistern during milking.
•At the apex of the teat is the streak (teat canal) and the teat
orifice through which milk passes during milking.
•The teat canal has a muscular sphincter which opens during
milking but which is sealed during the dry period.
•There is a specialised area at the proximal end of the streak
canal called the rosette of Furstenberg which is concerned with
de- fence against infection.
•The skin covering the teat is hairless and strongly adherent to
the underlying tis-sues.
•The supramammary lymph nodes are palpable from the rear

5. Clinical Examination of the Udder
Pelvic
symphysis
Symphyseal
tendon
Lateral
suspensory
ligaments
l suspensory
ents
Gland
sinus
Annular
ring
Teat
sinus
Rosette of
Furstenberg
Streak
canal
Figure 12.2 Cross-section of a normal teat.

6. Difference between normal
udder and mastitis
Udder
• Palpate left quarters of the
mammary gland
– Heat
– Hardness (swelling)
– Edema
– Teat lesions
Normal
Mastitis

7. What’s mastitis ?
Inflammation of one or more quarters of the udderWhat’s mastitis ?
Inflammation of one or more quarters of
the udder
Normal Inflamed
Swelling
pain
warm
redness
Mammae = breast
-itis = Latin suffix for
inflammation

8. What’s the significance of bovine
mastitis ?
• Causes significant economic losses to
the dairy industry.
• The most costly disease affecting dairy
dairy cattle throughout the world
ance of bovine
ant economic losses
ustry in the US
What’s the significance of bovine
mastitis ?
Causes significant economic losses
to the dairy industry in the US
$ 200/cow/year
$ 2 billion/year
The most
costly
disease
affecting
dairy dairy
cattle
throughout
the world
cull RIP

9. What are the health concerns of
mastitis ?
Animal health
Loss of functional quarter Lowered milk production
Death of cow
Human health
Poor quality milk antibiotic residues in milk
hat are the health concerns
mastitis ?
Animal health
Loss of functional quarter
Lowered milk production
Death of cow

10. Types of mastitis
How severe can mastitis be ?
Subclinical Mastitis
~ 90 -95% of all mastitis cases
Udder appears normal
Milk appears normal
Elevated SCC (score 3-5)
Lowered milk output (~ 10%)
Longer duration
Clinical Mastitis
~ 5 - 10% of all mastitis cases
Inflamed udder
Clumps and clots in milk
Acute type
major type of clinical mastitis
bad milk
loss of appetite
depression
prompt attention needed
Chronic type
bad milk
cow appears healthy

11. causes mastitis ?
Bacteria ( ~ 70%)
Yeasts and molds ( ~ 2%)
Unknown ( ~ 28%)
physical
trauma
weather extremes
What causes mastitis ?
Bacteria ( ~ 70%)
Yeasts and molds ( ~ 2%)
Unknown ( ~ 28%)
physical
trauma
weather extremes
Where do these organism
come from ?
Infected udder
Environment
bedding
soil
water
manure
Replacement animals
Where do these organisms
come from ?
Infected udder
Environment
bedding
soil
water
manure
Replacement animals
e do these organisms
from ?
ected udder
vironment
bedding
soil
water
manure
placement animals

12. How does mastitis develop ?
Cow
Predisposing conditions
Existing trauma (milking machine, heat
or cold, injury)
Teat end injury
Lowered immunity (following calving,
surgery)
Nutrition
Organisms
EnvironmentEnvironment
Organism
does mastitis develop ?
Cow
Predisposing conditions
Existing trauma (milking machine, heat
or cold, injury)
Teat end injury
Lowered immunity (following calving,
surgery)
Nutrition
Organisms
Environment
Environment
Organism
Cow

13. Process of infection
Organisms invade the udder through
teat canal
Migrate up the teat canal and colonize the
secretory cells
Colonized organisms produce toxic substances
harmful to the milk producing cells

14. The cow’s immune system send white blood cells
(Somatic cells) to fight the organisms
recovery clinical subclinical

15. Diagnosis of mastitisHow is mastitis diagnosed ?
Physical examination
Signs of inflammation
Empty udder
Differences in firmness
Unbalanced quarters
Cowside tests
California Mastitis test
Physical examination
Signs of inflammation
Empty udder
Differences in firmness
Unbalanced quarters
Cowside tests
California Mastitis test

16. How is mastitis diagnosed ?
Culture analysis
The most reliable
and accurate
method
costly ($ 5- 12)

17. Examination of milk
•Milk samples from all four quarters of mastitic cases should be
examined for signs of mastitis.
•Visual appraisal is facilitated by placing the milk sample onto a
black surface.
•Strip cups are very useful for this purpose as they minimise
environmental contamination.
•washing and disinfecting should follow.
•In clinical mastitis, clots caused by cellular debris derived from
gland inflammation are often present.
•The clots may have been detected by the herdsman.
• Other gross changes include milk which is more watery and
discoloured.

18. •The discolouration may be yellow, port wine or red. Red
indicates blood in the milk and/or colostrum.
•This is seen in a proportion of newly calved cows.
•One, several or all quarters may be affected.
•This condition is of no pathological significance, although
it must be differentiated from acute mastitis (e.g. Bacillus
cereus) that can sometimes present with a haemorrhagic
milk sample which has a darker port wine appearance.
•Identification of the infected quarter is further assisted by
using a CMT to identify which quarter(s) have a high
somatic cell count indicating mastitis. This is described
below.

20. 1-Bloody milk due to leptospira
Clinical signs
•flaccid udder & flappy
•the blood come from all
quarter
•No inflammation of the udder
•Has bloody urine

21. •Normal udder blood from
4 quarter
• May be hypophosphatemia
• Blood from one quarter
• May be due trauma
• Inflamed quarter with bloody milk Mastitis