Vol. 11, Special Issue 1 (2026)

The present investigation was undertaken in Mancherial, Siddipet, and Rangareddy districts of Telangana State, representing the North, Central, and South agro-climatic zones, respectively. From each district, four mandals were selected, and three villages were chosen from each mandal. A field survey was conducted among dairy farmers to document prevailing milking and management practices related to milk production. Mastitis, being one of the most economically significant diseases of dairy animals, continues to cause substantial production and economic losses. The limited awareness among dairy farmers regarding scientific production and management practices underscores the need for capacity building and extension interventions aimed at mastitis mitigation. Evaluation of existing management practices is essential to identify strengths and constraints within the dairy production system and to formulate appropriate intervention strategies.

The influence of host-level risk factors on mastitis incidence was significantly higher (p<0.05) in cows (43.3%) compared to buffaloes (30.6%). A significantly greater incidence of mastitis (p<0.05) was observed in high-yielding animals producing more than 10 liters of milk per day (50%). Among udder conformations, trough-shaped udders were most prevalent (34.73%), followed by round (31.94%), pendulous (18.75%), and goaty (14.58%) types. The corresponding incidence of mastitis was 40.2% in round, 35.0% in trough, 57.41% in pendulous, and 31.0% in goaty udders. Furthermore, udder biometry revealed a significant increase (p<0.05) in mastitis incidence with increasing udder length (>57 cm), udder width (>67 cm; 49.1%), udder circumference (>96 cm), and udder depth (>20 cm). The higher susceptibility associated with larger udder dimensions may be attributed to increased contact of the udder with the floor during recumbency, leading to greater exposure to environmental contamination and, consequently, a higher risk of mastitis.