Short communication: Identification of coagulase-negative staphylococcus species from goat milk with the API Staph identification test and with transfer RNA-intergenic spacer PCR combined with capillary electrophoresis.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the most commonly isolated bacteria from goat milk, but they have often been identified with phenotypic methods, which may have resulted in misclassification. The aims of this paper were to assess the amount of misclassification of a phenotypic test for identifying CNS species from goat milk compared with transfer RNA intergenic spacer PCR (tDNA-PCR) followed by capillary electrophoresis, and to apply the tDNA-PCR technique on different capillary electrophoresis equipment. Milk samples were collected from 416 does in 5 Californian dairy goat herds on 3 occasions during lactation. In total, 219 CNS isolates were identified at the species level with tDNA-PCR and subjected to the API 20 Staph identification test kit (API Staph; bioMérieux, Durham, NC). If the same species was isolated multiple times from the same udder gland, only the first isolate was used for further analyses, resulting in 115 unique CNS isolates. According to the tDNA-PCR test, the most prevalent CNS species were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus caprae, and Staphylococcus simulans. Typeability with API staph was low (72%). Although the API Staph test was capable of identifying the majority of Staph. epidermidis and Staph. caprae isolates, sensitivity for identification of Staph. simulans was low. The true positive fraction was high for the 3 most prevalent species. It was concluded that the overall performance of API Staph in differentiating CNS species from goat milk was moderate to low, mainly because of the low typeability, and that genotypic methods such as tDNA-PCR are preferred.

Evaluation of a biological risk management tool on large western United States dairies.

Critical to changing biosecurity practices on the farm is an individual assessment of those practices contributing to disease transmission. The purpose of this project was to assess, implement, and refine a biological risk management survey for use on large western United States dairy farms. Assessment tools developed by Iowa State University Center for Food Security and Public Health (Ames, IA) were refined using a focus group process and by testing them on 40 dairy herds in California. Each question was evaluated using standard criteria and producer responses. Some survey questions required refinement for clarity and others were considered unnecessary. New questions were added based on a biosecurity literature review, resulting in a new set of questions that can be used by extension educators and food animal veterinarians to help identify disease risk areas and educate dairy producers.

Precipitation and temperature effects on mortality and lactation parameters of dairy cattle in California.

Data from 3 commercial rendering companies located in different regions of California were analyzed from September 2003 through August 2005 to examine the relationship of dairy calf and cow mortality to monthly average daily temperature and total monthly precipitation respectively. Yearly average mortality varied between rendering regions from 2.1 to 8.1% for mature cows. The relationship between cow and calf monthly mortality and monthly average daily temperature was U-shaped. Overall, months with average daily temperatures less than 14 and greater than 24 degrees C showed substantial increases in both calf and cow mortality with calf mortality being more sensitive to changes in these temperature ranges than cow mortality. Temperature changes were reflected in a 2-fold difference between the minimum and maximum mortality in cows and calves. Precipitation showed a weak effect with calf mortality and no effect with cow mortality. Data from Dairy Herd Improvement Association were used from 112 California herds tested over a 24-mo period to examine the relationship of milk production and quality with monthly average daily temperature and monthly precipitation. Somatic cell count and percent milk fat were either weakly or not associated with monthly average daily temperature and total monthly precipitation. However, total monthly precipitation was negatively associated with test day milk per milking cow regardless of the dairy's geographical location. Housing-specific associations for test day milk per milking cow were greater for total monthly precipitation than monthly average daily temperature, with the strongest negative association seen for dairies that do not provide shelter for cows. This suggests that providing suitable housing for lactating dairy cattle may ameliorate the precipitation-associated decrease in test day milk per milking cow.

Association of minimum inhibitory concentration cluster patterns with dairy management practices for environmental bacteria isolated from bulk tank milk.

Environmental bacteria have emerged over the past few years to become significant causes of mastitis. Bacteria in this group are often reported by practicing veterinarians to be increasingly resistant to intramammary therapy and responsible for elevated bulk tank somatic cell counts. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of association of the minimum inhibitory concentrations for selected antimicrobial agents with environmental bacteria isolated from bulk tank milk on California dairies and their housing facilities, husbandry practices, and antimicrobic-use strategies. Bulk tank milk samples were collected from 2 dairy cooperatives that had their milk cultured at the Milk Quality Laboratory, University of California Davis, Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center in Tulare, CA. Samples were collected from July 2001 through March 2002 on 88 d; and 404 environmental bacteria isolated from 93 dairies were found. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined on 337 of the isolates for 10 antimicrobial agents. Cluster analysis was performed on the minimum inhibitory concentration values for each organism, and 4 antimicrobial clusters with varying degrees of resistance were found.A 69-question survey questionnaire was completed on-farm for 49 of the 73 dairies that had at least 3 environmental bacterial isolates. The questionnaire sought information on housing facilities, milking management, mastitis prevention, antimicrobial usage strategies, and owner/veterinary involvement in disease control and prevention. Multinomial logistic regression analysis found significant associations between the antimicrobial agent-resistance cluster groups and some of the housing and bedding practices, failure to dry udders before milking, and antimicrobial treatment of nonmastitis conditions. No association was noted for antimicrobial agent treatment of mastitis and the resistance cluster patterns.

Effect of yeast culture and Aspergillus oryzae extract on milk yield in a commercial dairy herd.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of an Aspergillus oryzae extract in combination with a yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on milk yield and composition, rectal temperatures, and rumen parameters in a commercial dairy herd. Pluriparous Holstein cows (n = 521) in early lactation were assigned to a 130-d trial from May to September 1992. Treatments were control (no additive) and yeast culture (56 g/d) plus A. oryzae (3 g/d). Both groups were fed a TMR composed of alfalfa silage, alfalfa hay, corn silage, rolled barley, rolled corn, grass screenings, whole cottonseed, wet citrus pulp, molasses supplement, protein pellet, and minerals. No differences were detected in actual milk, 3.5% FCM, or percentages of milk fat or protein. Percentages of lactose and SNF were lower for the group fed yeast culture plus A. oryzae. Rectal temperatures were lower for cows fed yeast culture plus A. oryzae for 7 of 17 readings made during the summer. The greatest difference occurred during hotter months.