A cross sectional study was conducted from September 2010 to August 2011 on small holder dairy farms to determined the bovine mastitis prevalence, risk factors and major pathogens in urban and peri-urban areas of Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia. 161 Farmers addressed through using semi-structured questionnaires regarding the different potential risk factors and 96 dairy cows used for clinical, subclinical and laboratory examination. Both subclinical and clinical bovine mastitis were observed in the study areas; the more prevalent was subclinical mastitis 42.7%. 2(2.08%), and the lower was clinical mastitis (2.08%). In this study, there was a significant differences (P<0.05) between lactating cows at different location, breed and lactation stages; however, there was no significant differences (P>0.05) between lactating cows with parity and age. Of 384 quarters examined, 5(1.3 %) were blind teats and 71(18.4%) quarters showed evidence of infection of mastitis. Although the dairy farm owners have some awareness about mastitis, still now it’s continuing as devastating disease. The milk samples collected from california mastitis test positive were subjected to microbiological examination and then many bacterial species were isolated such as: Staphylococcus aureus (21.1%), and Staphylococcus intermedius (17.3%) followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (13.5%), klebsiella (13.5%), Micrococcus species (9.6%), Staphylococcus hyecus (7.7%), Aracnobacterium pyogen (5.7%), Escherichia coli (3.8%), Enterobacter species (3.8%) and Bacillus cereus (3.8%). This study showed that mastitis is the problem of dairy cows in the study areas; this disease associated with herd management system, drainage, floor types and level, milking procures and manure removal schedule and the major isolates that were contagious pathogens. Therefore, hygienic milking practice, milking order, hygienic of the utensils used for milking practice, proper manure removal and housing and management improvements are some of the important procedures which need attention while the prevention of the disease. Before treatment, susceptibility testing for the isolated microorganisms is very vital in controlling strategy.
Keywords: Bacteria isolation, Bovine Mastitis, CMT, Risk Factors, Sidama Zone Ethiopia
