World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Yadav et al. SJIF Impact

World Journal of Pharmaceutical Factor 7.523
Research
Volume 6, Issue 5, 675-680. Research Article ISSN 2277– 7105

EFFICACY OF HERBAL REMEDIES AS ALTERNATIVE TO

ANTIBIOTICS IN DRY COW THERAPY

Hadiya K.1, Vikas Yadav2*, Anurag Borthakur2, K. Ravikanth2, Shivi Maini2

1
Dairy Farm Consultant Anand
2
Clinical R&D Department, Ayurvet Limited, Baddi, H.P. India.

ABSTRACT
Article Received on
01 March 2017,
A comparative trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of topical
Revised on 20 March 2017, herbal gel- Mastilep gel (M/s Ayurvet limited) instead of using
Accepted on 10 April 2017
antibiotics as a dry cow therapy. Total 30 Crossbred advance pregnant
DOI: 10.20959/wjpr20175-8304
cow were selected, divided in to 3 groups T0, T1, and T2 having 10
numbers of cows in each. Group T0 was kept as control. In group T1,
*Corresponding Author
dry cow therapy started with herbal gel- Mastilep for 5 days (before
Dr. Vikas Yadav
drying off) and 5 days (after calving). In group T2 dry cow therapy
Dairy Farm Consultant
Anand. was done by using Enrofloxacin, synthetic antibiotic injection (fortvir
30mg), 2 injection at 72 hour interval, I/M. Results revealed that in the
control group (T0) SCC (X103) was increased from 183 on day 0 to 186 on 5th day and in
absence of any treatment overall SSC further increased up to 203 on 3rd day after parturition.
In Group T1, the overall SCC (X103) was reduced from 187 on day 0 to 147 on 3rd day after
parturition. . In group T2, the overall SCC (X103) was 189 on day 0 which reduced to 182 on
3rd day after parturition. On 3rd day after parturition, milk production (liter/day) was
significantly more in group T1 (14.95) followed by group T2 (14.56) further followed by
group T0 (10.96).

KEYWORDS: Mastilep gel, Somatic Cell Count (SCC), milk production.

INTRODUCTION
Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland which, together with physical, chemical
and microbiological changes, is characterized by an increase in the number of somatic cells in
the milk and by pathological changes in the mammary tissue.[1] Inflammations of the
mammary glands, mastitis, are one of the most costly health issues faced by dairy farms.
Mastitis is a global problem as it adversely affects animal health, quality of milk and the

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Yadav et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

economics of milk production, affecting every country, including developed ones and causes
huge financial losses.[2] There is agreement among authors that mastitis is the most
widespread infectious disease in dairy cattle, and, from an economic aspect, the most
damaging.[3,4] Mastitis, the most common multifactorial disease in the lactating cow has
remarkably rising impact on Indian economy where over all losses due to mastitis is
estimated to be Rs.7165.51 crores.[5,6] In cows, mastitis is most frequently caused by a
bacterial infection. Infections may be present in the clinical form characterized by visible
abnormalities in the milk or the udder or in subclinical form characterized by inflammation of
the mammary gland that does not create visible changes in the milk or the udder. Infections
may not present as clinical cases during the dry period, there is a high risk that subclinical
cases will become clinical after calving.[7] In contrast, detection of mammary quarters with
sub-clinical mastitis is more difficult because signs are not readily apparent [8] and, because of
the lack of any overt manifestation, its diagnosis is a challenge in dairy animal management
and in veterinary practice. The sub-clinical form is 15 to 40 times more prevalent than the
clinical form, and usually precedes the clinical form and is of long duration.[9] It is important
to emphasize that the sub-clinically affected animals remain a continuing source of infection
for herd mates.[10] There are different levels for detection of mastitis: an individual cow level
in the herd, and a more large-scale testing for bulk milk[8]. Regarding the individual cow
level, the sub-clinical form of the disease can be detected by bacteriological examination and
somatic cell counts (SCC).[11] Various antibiotic based intra-mammary infusions for the both
dry cow therapy and the treatment of mastitis are available. However the increasing
emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens.[12] is further suspected to complicate the
effectiveness of the mastitis treatment. Both pre and post milking teat antiseptics are the most
effective management strategy for preventing new intra mammary infections in dairy cows.
Prophylactic antibiotic dry cow therapy, administered at the end of lactation, aims to
eliminate current and prevent future intra-mammary infections. Certified organic dairies are
restricted from antibiotic use and thus must use an alternative or no dry cow therapy. Teat
disinfection after milking is one of the five plans of mastitis control by National Institute of
Research in to Dairying (NIRD).[13] Several herbal extracts have shown in vitro antibacterial
activity versus major mastitis pathogens.[14] WHO has also emphasized on the use of
medicinal plant, therefore the proposed study was to assess herbal product, Mastilep gel (M/s
Ayurvet limited) for treatment or prevention of mastitis as alternative to antibiotics.

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Yadav et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The proposed study was carried out at dairy farm, Anand, Gujrat, to evaluate the efficacy of
Mastilep gel and Antibiotics (Inj. Enrofloxacin 10mg/kg i/m repeat 72hrs Interval) in the
treatment of Dry Cow Therapy. A total of 30 Crossbred cows were selected with the history
of advance pregnant and near about dry off for next lactation. All the selected cows were
reported to have a history of sub clinical or clinical mastitis in present lactation. The group
T0 was kept as control and given no antibiotic or herbal therapy (no dry off treatment),
treatment group T1 was treated with Mastilep gel, BID application for 5 days after dry off to
be repeated after calving for 5 days and treatment group T2 given dry off therapy with
Antibiotic, two Injection of Enrofloxacin at interval of 72 hrs after dry off. Duplicate quarter
milk samples were taken immediately before dry treatment and three days post-calving. A
change in bacterial presence between pre-treatment and post-calving samples for each cow
was used to determine the efficacy of each treatment. A somatic cell count from the pre-
treatment lactation and during the early part of the subsequent lactation was compared among
treatments to determine practical effects of treatment. Therapeutic efficacy was determined
on the basis of improvement in the somatic cell count, milk yield and milk fat content.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The data shows the effect of the dry cow therapy was very much effective in the Mastilep gel
treated group (T1) as compared to control group (T0) in terms of the incidence of mastitis. It
was revealed that the somatic cell count was also reduced in the mastilep treated group (T1)
and animal reach peak production in short time as compared with the control group (T0). The
incidence of mastitis was different in Mastilep Gel treated group and Antibiotics treated
group as compared to control group. But the somatic cell counts were less in Mastilep Gel
treated group as compared to antibiotics Treatment groups (Table No 1). There was no
significant difference in milk production in both treatment groups except control group.
Decrease in the somatic cell count as well as increase in milk production may be due to
presence of higher concentrations of flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, alkaloids and
[15]
terpenoids in the extracts of Cedrus deodara which have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and
anti-inflamatory properties and Curcuma longa (Turmeric), which is also constituent
ingredient of herbal gel mastilep, possesses numerous pharmacological activities, including
antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and its use for inflammatory conditions is also well
known [16]. Bcteria such as S. aureus, S. agalactiae , E. coli and Pseudomonas aeroginosa are
the most common etiological agents involved in subclinical cases of mastitis in dairy

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Yadav et al. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

cows[17]. The antibacterial activities of essential oils from leaves of Eucalyptus globules, also
a constituent ingredient of mastilep gel, was determined against Staphylococcus aureus Gram
(+) and Escherichia coli Gram (-) bacteria.[18]. So the improvement in the milk production as
well as SCC is may be due to consequent of pharmacological activity of the ingredients used
in the herbal gel – Mastilep.

Table No 1: Overall performance

Average milk
% Animal
Total No. of No. of animals Average SSC production
Group name affected in
animals affected (X103) per animal /
group
day(lit)
Control
10 4 40 203 10.96
Group (T0)
Treatment
10 1 10 147 14.95
Group (T1)
Treatment
10 1 10 182 14.56
Group2

CONCLUSION
Efficacy of herbal gel- Mastilep, in the treatment of subclinical mastitis was good among the
control and antibiotic treated group. Also the increase in the milk yield was more in the
Mastilep gel treated group. Therefore application of the herbal-gel Mastilep may be
recommended for the treatment and control of sub clinical mastitis in bovine.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are thankful to Ayurvet Limited, Baddi, India and Anand dairy farm, Gujarat for
providing the required facilities, guidance and support.

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