Evaluation of mammary gland health in dairy cows treated by pegylated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the effect of the treatment by pegbovigrastim on the health of the mammary gland in dairy cows. Experimental animals were successively treated with 15 mg of pegylated bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (bG-CSF, pegbovigrastim, PEG, Imrestor, Elanco) 10 ± 3 days before expected parturition and 1 day after actual parturition. Cows in the control group remained without treatment. The occurrence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in dairy cows during the first three months postpartum, and bacteriological findings in milk and milk yield were evaluated after preventive pegbovigrastim treatment. The influence of pegbovigrastim, as an additional treatment of mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis in dairy cows on the standard course of treatment, was evaluated. The average number of antimicrobial (AML) interventions necessary for healing, the proportion of cows with 1, 2, 3 and more AML interventions, milk somatic cell count before treatment, 1 and 2 months after treatment and average milk withdrawal time were evaluated between groups. The results of the study did not find positive effects of pegbovigrastim on any evaluated variables.