Changes in the myoelectrical activity during electrical stimulation of healthy and mastitis-changed mammary glands in dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a new method of mastitis diagnosis. The study was carried out on 14 highly productive dairy cows of Holstein-Friesian breed. The animals were divided into two groups. The first clinical group consisted of 7 animals with confirmed mastitis. The second control group consisted of 7 mastitis-free animals. Mastitis was confirmed by clinical examination, California Mastitis Test, and bacteriological examination of the milk. The recording of spontaneous myoelectrical activity of the udder was followed by the registration of the voltage of the electrical current passed through the udder using EMS (electrical muscle stimulator). An increase of 540% in the amplitude of spontaneous spike potentials recorded in the mastitis-changed udder compared to the healthy udder was noted. Simultaneously, a decrease of 54% in the voltage of current generated by the electrical muscle stimulator passed through the mastitis-changed udder compared to the healthy udder was observed. The method of diagnosing mastitis in dairy cows shown in this study can be an alternative to California Mastitis Test because of its simplicity, velocity and inexpensiveness.