Clinical evaluation of poor milking procedures effects on dairy Mediterranean buffaloes udder health

Two pluriparous [MB1: 243 days in milk (DIM); MB2: 232 DIM] and 1 primiparous (MB3: 247 DIM) Mediterranean Buffaloes (MB), were submitted to clinical examination of teat and udder including CMT, sterile milk sampling for bacteriological milk culture (BMC) and somatic cells count (SCC) evaluation. Milking procedures monitoring and teat scoring of all milking MB were also performed. MB1 showed apical teat trauma with ulceration near orifice and a moist, wet, inflamed area surrounding the teat canal; MB2 revealed vertical skin fissure originating from the teat apex and flowing into a wide moist and wet area closer to the base of the teat with signs of skin necrosis. Finally MB3 revealed severe teat canal eversion with dry keratinized protrusion, grade 4. MB1 and MB3 were score CMT +2, instead MB3 +3. BMC revealed E. coli mono-infections in MB1 and 3, with SCC of 152^104 and 119^104 respectively; milk sample of MB3 was instead sterile with 450^104 SCC. A hygiene score, ranged from 1 (clean) to 5 (dirty,) was also assessed for 5 body areas, with the following mean results: tail head 3.0±0.9 (score ± standard deviation), thigh (lateral aspect) 3.3±0.5, abdomen 2.7±0.5, udder 3.7±0.5, rear limbs 4.3±0.5. According to the clinical picture and the weak point were observed during milking procedures, teat lesions due to poor milking procedures have been suspected. A correct therapy and strategies to prevent the problem in future have been suggested. All the indications given must to be included in complete and up-date udder health monitoring program, allowing to correctly monitor over-time milk yield and quality, guaranteeing to detected presence of problem as soon as possible and aiming to reduce their short-, mid- and long- term negative effects