Vol. 9, Issue 4, Part I (2024)

Author(s): S Senthilkumar, A Methai and M Kalaivanan

Abstract: On a total of 60 dairy farms, the incidence of clinical mastitis among the dairy farms was surveyed and clinically examined in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu. By combination of farmer interviews and site observation, data were collected from five taluks of Theni district, including both large and small-holding farmers. The incidence of clinical mastitis was found to be 15.92% among 578 milch cows. By Chi-square test, the association of mastitis incidence was highly significant (p<0.01) with floor cleaning method, rearing system, milking area hygiene, utensil, and milking man hygiene. A significant association (p<0.05) was noticed with udder hygiene. The incidence of mastitis was more prevalent in small herd sizes (20.91%), graduate farmers (17.59%), manual cleaning methods (17.57%), semi-intensive systems (36.73%), manual methods of milking (17.65%), thatched roof types (30.76%), and mud soil (18.31%) in cows kept in the less hygiene category and with previous occurrences of mastitis.