Prevalence of mastitis in dairy cows from the Uttarakhand region: A cross-sectional study of clinical and subclinical cases

Mastitis has been one of the most common and economically important infectious diseases infecting dairy cows worldwide. This study aims to determine the prevalence of clinical and subclinical bovine mastitis and to identify the major bacterial causes in selected dairies of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. In the cross-sectional study, milk samples were aseptically collected from 168 lactating cows across 13 dairies. Mastitis screening included the California Mastitis Test, White Side Test, Surf Field Mastitis Test, pH measurement, and Methylene Blue Reduction test. Positive samples were cultured for bacteria isolation and identified by standard plate count methods, microscopic examination, and biochemical tests. Overall mastitis prevalence was 72.61%. Both clinical and subclinical cases were detected; the majority of positive samples showed moderate to severe infection. The most causative bacteria in clinical and subclinical manifestations was S. aureus. The high prevalence of mastitis indicated an urgent need for hygiene and management interventions in Uttarakhand dairies. We recommend regular herd screening to control the risk of infection.