Application of Ethno Veterinary Practices in Treatment of Mastitis in Dairy Cattle
Dr Rohit Gupta
Assistant Professor (Animal Science)
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jalandhar
Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana
ABSTRACT
Bovine mastitis is globally recognized as the most common and costly disease affecting dairy herds. The disease causes huge financial losses to dairy industries by reduced yield and milk quality, deaths and culling of affected cows and also by associated treatment costs. The most common treatment method available against bovine mastitis is the intra-mammary infusion of antibiotics. The use of antibiotics for a long period of time has triggered the development of multidrug resistance strains of several bacterial species. This results in the use of higher dose of antimicrobials, causing the danger of increasing amounts of drug residues in milk that causes a potential biohazard. This scenario has made search for alternative treatment approaches necessary. Medicinal plants with their well established history are an excellent natural product resource used as an alternative therapy. Antibacterial agents from plants can act as important sources of novel antibiotics, efflux pump inhibitors, compounds that target bacterial virulence or can be used in combination with existing drugs. The plants form an essential component of ethno-veterinary medicine used in the treatment of different diseases like bovine mastitis.
Key Words: Ethno Veterinary Medicine, Bovine Mastitis, Antibacterial Resistance
In today’s world, safe and wholesome milk production is a challenge for farmers due to increasing incidences of different types of disease and the emergence of new and resistant pathogens from the indiscriminate and unjustified use of antibiotics/ antimicrobials. When we are talking about prevalent diseases, mastitis is one of the major diseases which can not only cause trouble to animals and farmers, but also significant losses to the economy of the farm, society and ultimately to the country.
Mastitis – A Cost intensive disease
Bovine mastitis is characterized by a range of physical and chemical changes of the milk and pathological changes in the udder glandular tissues. According to the symptoms, mastitis may be classified as clinical or subclinical. Subclinical mastitis usually leads to the clinical form as it is of a longer period, difficult to diagnose, adversely affects milk production and quality and comprises a reservoir of pathogens that can lead to disease of other animals within the herd.
Mastitis is the most cost intensive production disease in the dairy industry, causing a considerable financial burden. According to a recent report, annual economic losses sustained by the dairy industry in India on account of udder infections have been projected at Rs. 6053.21 crores. Out of this, a loss of Rs. 4365.32 crores (70-80%) was credited to subclinical udder infections. Subclinical mastitis is important due to the fact that it is 15- 40 times more prevalent than the clinical form. Control of bovine mastitis is a challenge because of multiple etiological agents. Mostly antibiotics are used for the treatment and control of mastitis, but an intra-mammary infusion of antibiotics for mastitis therapy was cited as a major reason for milk contamination and frequent use of antibiotic therapy leads to antibiotic resistance. Increasing emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens is further suspected to complicate the effectiveness of mastitis treatment.
Antimicrobial Resistance: Emerging Mastitis Threats
Antibiotics are considered to be the first choice in the treatment of the disease. However, the problem of antibiotic residue and antimicrobial resistance, in addition to the impact of antibiotic abuse on public health, leads to many restrictions on uncontrolled antibiotic therapy in the dairy sector worldwide. Barkema et al., (2006) stated that the common used drugs for mastitis include betalactams, macrolides and lincosamides. Additionally, there is various udder and teat disinfection procedures have been carried out on the farm especially during the milking process. iodine based and chlorhexidine based are example of applied treatment on the livestock during post-milking (Lalouckova et al., 2019). Despite the extensive use of antibiotic in mastitis treatment, it had showed numerous disadvantages which include high occurrence drug resistance, antibiotic residues in human consumption, and low rate of curing. It has reported that S. aureus showed high resistance (90%) towards penicillin while 10% of the pathogens are resistance to oxacillin (Ameen et al., 2019). P. aeruginosa showed resistance to enrofloxacin, levofloxacin and ceftriaxone while E.coli (40%) is resistance towards streptomycin. This scenario has made search for alternative treatment approaches necessary. Medicinal plants with their well-established history are an excellent natural product resource used as an alternative therapy.
Ethno veterinary Medicine: An alternative therapy
Ethno veterinary practices concern to animal healthcare is as old as the domestication of various livestock species. The veterinary science in India can be classified into codified traditions and folk medicine and has a documented history of around 5000 years. The codified knowledge exist in the form of texts manuscripts on various aspects of veterinary care of the livestock. The folk health practices largely remain undocumented and are passed on from one generation to the other by word of mouth. There is a rich and efficient ethno veterinary traditions exist in the villages of India which form integral part of the family and plays an important social, religious and economic role. They comprise belief, knowledge, practices and skills pertaining to healthcare and management of livestock. It also imperializes the traditional management of veterinary diseases, their remedies, and the spiritual elements associated with the healing procedures practiced by a local community. Like, for relief of mastitis: The udders are gently massaged with petrol using a cloth. The characteristics, sophistication, and intensity of ethno veterinary practices differ greatly among individuals, societies, and regions. However, they are facing the threat of rapid erosion. The Indian subcontinent has rich ethno veterinary health traditions that are the products of decades of experiences.
The use of medicinal plants may present a cheaper and sustainable alternative to synthetic medicines in case of clinical mastitis to avoid risk of public health hazard. Several different plant species have been used for the treatment and prophylaxis of mastitis in cattle by the farmer. The most frequently reported plant species are Capsicum annuum, Lepidium sativum, Allium sativum, Sesamum indicum, Citrus limon, Zingiber officinale, Citrullus colocynthis, Curcuma longa, Amomum subulatum, Sesamum indicum, Cuminum cyminum, Rosa indica, Centratherum anthelmisticum, Triticum aestivum, Nigella sativa and Peganum harmala. Commonly used vehicles for administration of plant materials of this type include water, jaggery, wheat flour, milk whey, butter as such or in refined form (desi ghee), sugar, vegetable oil, common and black salt. Sometimes, cow milk itself is used as a vehicle for the administration of fruit of Amomum subulatum and leaves of Rosa indica. Similarly, saltish milk whey can be mixed in oil extract of Sesamum indicum in treating mastitis.
Natural Products against Mastitis
Plant based products are serve as a new foundation for alternative mastitis treatment in veterinary medicines. This is due to low cost of manufacturing as well as zero report of resistance in antimicrobial (Pasca et al., 2017). Natural product originated in nature and derived from natural organism sources which can be developed either in naturally, semi-synthesis or total synthesis process. It comes from plant, animal and as well as microbes’ sources. Natural products are promising therapeutics in treating mastitis. WHO has also emphasised the use of medicinal plants as an alternative to antibiotics. Several herbal extracts have shown in vitro antibacterial activity against major mastitis pathogens. These herbs like Cedrus deodara, Curcuma longa and Eucalyptus globules also has an anti-inflammatory effect and shown very promising result in the treatment of mastitis by local folk.
Ethno veterinary medicine (EVM) has been found to be very effective in controlling mastitis at the doorstep of farmers with a negligible cost involve. Following is the most common prevailing methods/preparation among the rural/tribal folk for the curing of mastitis in dairy animals.
Preparation-1
- Ghratkumari (Aloe vera ) – 2 or 3 petal,
- Haldi (Turmeric) powder- 50gm,
- Chunna (Lime stone)- 10 gm
All the above ingredients are ground well and made in to a paste apply over the udder thrice a day for 3-7 days depending upon the disease incidence. Before applying, the udder and teats should be washed with pure lukewarm water for 3 times for 5 days. Along with above said preparation, administer orally 50 gm of mitha soda (sodium bicarbonate) in the juice of lemon (4 fruits) dissolved in 200 ml of water is proved very effecting in curing of mastitis.
Preparation-2
- Turmeric Powder (rhizome or powder)- 50g
- Limestone- 20-25g
- Aloe vera -250g
- Lemon juice – 2 lemon
Make a paste of fluidy nature and apply on udder by massaging for 5 times a day. Result will start within two or three application.
Preparation-3
Based on a local research yet to be further documented has shown that mixture of the neem plant leaf, fluted pumpkin plant leaf and Aloevera plant leaf extract can help in curing mastitis in dairy cattle.
Potential Natural Product Use in Mastitis Treatment
The concept of medicinal plants-based products in treating mastitis has been practices since long ages. This strongly indicates the potential treatment of natural products against mastitis. These ingredients are summarized in following order.
Curcuma longa (Haldi)
It is most common herb in indian household which is prefer in first order to counter any inflammatory condition in human as well as in livestock. Curcuma Longa was found to possess an antibacterial activity which is useful against mastitis infection. Haldi has also proved effective against common antibiotic resistant S. aureus bacteria (Mun et al.,2013).
Aloe barbadensis
Application of aloe vera gel, speed up the process of healing at the site of wound. Aloe vera mostly used with the combination of lime and turmeric powder for topical application on the udder. It is proved very effective practices in mastitis management in the countryside and it also has short period of recovery compared to common antibiotic therapy. The application of Aloe vera based herbal paste for treating the mastitis has been standardized by Directorate of Distance Education, Tamil Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal sciences.
Allium sativum (Garlic)
Garlic is widely approved in treatment of mastitis in the dairy animals due to presence of Allicin, an effectual component of the antibacterial and antiseptic properties (Khan et al., 2012). Use of garlic displayed many advantage such as rise in the number and percentage of lymphocyte, bettered the composition of milk and the blood parameters as well as improving immune system (Ibrahim et al., 2016). The use of garlic in combination of Vitamin E + Se and lemon are proved to be effective in the treatment of subclinical mastitis. 341-388
Origanum vulgare (Ban Tulsi)
Oregano is commonly used as natural remedies in treating various immune suppression diseases, because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity (Baratta et al., 1998). In case of clinical mastitis tulsi improve the udder condition physically and impacted milk quality with no detection of S. aureus and E. coli presence in milk (Sharma and Jeong, 2013).
Angelica Dahurica (Chorak ) and Rheum Officinale (Dolu, Ravandchini)
Bovine mastitis treatment in EVM is obtained from numerous herbs, Chorak and Dolu are the example of herb used which is very popular among the rural folk. This is due to their detoxifying, antibacterial properties, anti-inflammatory as well as their heat-clearing which are administered orally help to clear internal heat, thus marked to be successful in treating inflammatory infection due to their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity (Muluye et al., 2014).
Palm Oil
Organic acids serve as the foundation of a new target in mastitis alternative treatment. They could control bacterial contamination and boosting the production of animal. The effect of antibacterial within palm oils that rich in Medium-chain fatty acids has been well proved. Hence, palm oil is beneficial during milking period in the preparation and treatment of teat.
Honey
Honey made by bees is the most used to treat wound due its effective antimicrobial activities. Due to its wide variety of antimicrobial activity, honey was known to be efficient substitute for topical antibiotics. It has confirmed the effectiveness of honey against a range of bacteria include S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. coli (Rajweswari et.al, 2010). Manuka honey can eliminate biofilms and prevent biofilm’s formation towards various mastitis causing pathogens (Cooper, 2014).
Effectiveness of EVM in mastitis cure:
National Dairy Development Board has observed that EVM was helpful in successfully management mastitis (85%) with high clinical cure rate (Rath et.al. 2020). It was economical compared to conventional allopathic treatment. A reduction in residues of common antibiotics (quinolones, tetracycline, sulphonamide, ß-lactam) in milk was observed in the area of operation. Drug resistant bacteria (S. aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus; and E. coli including Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase producing – E. coli – ESBL), were isolated from the milk of bovines suffering from mastitis. EVM was able to cure even these animals.
Strengths of EVM in mastitis treatment:
- It is farmer friendly and less resource intensive
- Useful and Very effective and easy to use herbal preparation
- Medicines are cheap & readily available.
- No residue problem of medicinal plant.
- The medicine choice can be made by farmer itself.
Limitation of EVM in mastitis treatment:
In most traditional healers the units of measurements to determine dosage are not standardized and there are variations in the unit of measurement, duration and time at which remedies are taken and prescribed by healers for the same kind of health problems. The precision, standardization and their toxic effect were not studied in the country which is as one drawback for the traditional health care system. Others limitation are as followed.
- Some remedies are inconvenient to prepare and use.
- Availability of plants is seasonal.
- Some practices are harmful or may not be very effective.
- Dosages are uncertain and remedies not standard. ( based on the empirical basis)
- The diagnosis may be Inadequate (as it is based on symptoms) rather than underlying cause of the disease.
- Ethnomedicines are not fast acting and potent
Opportunities:
- Validation of Ethno veterinary medicine:
- Tapping experience of local people.
- Laboratory tests.
- Clinical trials in herds by small holders. Also farrners may conduct own tests.
- Monitoring the use of remedies in the field.
- Studying the impact on production and economic parameters.
2 Validation to prove or disapprove local clans
- Validation for drug development
- Validation for technology transfer
- Validation for field use in extreme conditions
Conclusions:
EVM is a practical, effective, affordable and sustainable approach for management of bovine mastitis. This will also reduce the usage of antibiotics and thus their residues in livestock products and emergence of drug resistant bacteria – both of which have severe human health implications. EVM may be considered as a first-line-of-action in bovine health management and those not responding to EVM may be treated with allopathic drugs. Since, most EVM preparations could be delivered by the farmer himself with local resources; treatment would start early and would not be dependent on availability of a veterinarian. As India and many other developing countries face a shortage of qualified veterinary graduates, practice of EVM by farmer to manage minor animal health problems would help organize animal health delivery with reduced veterinary infrastructure and much lesser cost. However, EVM needs mainstreaming and focus. By practicing EVM not only we can revitalize our age old knowledge of Veterinary Ayurveda, we also protect our animals, humans and the environment which is the hallmark of responsible dairying.
References:
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- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318594889_Ethnoveterinary_formulation_for_treatment_of_bovine_mastitis
