Epidemiology of Bovine Mastitis and Associated Risk Factors in East Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted in selected districts of East Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional Stat from November 2013 to April 2014 on dairy cows to determine the prevalence of mastitis and determinant of its major risk factors. The study was done on 250 lactating cows, of which 109 were local and 14 1 cross breed by using clinical examination , California mastitis test (CMT) and culture. Of these 108 (43.2 %) were positive by clinical examination and CMT for clinical and sub clinical mastitis, with prevalence of 4 % and 38.8 %, respectively. All the p otential risk factors considered in this study namely, parity ( p < 0.05), breed (p< 0.05), age (p < 0.05), stage of lactation (p < 0.05),breed (p < 0.05) and husbandry (p < 0.05) showed a significant effect on prevalence of mastitis in present study. Thus , high prevalencence of mastitis was observed in older cows >7 years and cows with parity >7 but high prevalence was obtained on early and late stage of lactation. The study also revealed that cross breed lactating cows and those managed intensively were s usceptible to mastitis. The highly prevalent bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus aurous (46 %) followed by Streptococcus agalactiae which accounts (19.4 %), and others were Staphylococcus intermidius, E. coli and Corynebacterial species with respective pr oportion of 16.6, 10.9 and 7.1%. The present study also revealed that mastitis is the major problem in smallholder dairy farms in the study area specially the sub clinical form, so that creation of awareness about the importance and prevention of subclinic al mastitis among smallholder dairy farmers, milking infected animals and periodic monitoring of infection status of the udder is recommended.