Healthy, sub-clinical, and clinical mastitis in Holstein–Friesian cattle: A comparative echotextural and electrical conductivity study

Abstract

The goal of this research was to investigate the echotextural parameters, numerical pixel values (NPVs), and pixel heterogeneity (PSDs) of the lymph node and udder parenchyma, as well as the correlation between echotextural parameters and electrical conductivity (EC), in order to develop it as an alternative to laboratory testing for mastitic animal diagnosis and prognosis. The ultrasonographic images of each quarter were processed using digital image analyses to obtain mean NPVs and mean PSDs of mammary gland and lymph node parenchyma. The mean EC increased with the progression of infection. The mean NPVs of lymph node parenchyma decreased, whereas the mean NPVs of udder parenchyma increased from healthy to subclinical and clinical cows, respectively. The mean PSDs of lymph node and udder parenchyma increased with the progression and severity of infection from healthy to subclinical and clinical cows, respectively. It was concluded that, in dairy cattle, the variation in echotextural variables (NPVs and PSDs) of mammary gland and supramammary lymph node parenchyma and electrical conductivity appeared to be good indicators for the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of sub-clinical and clinical mastitis in animals and simultaneously assists in the evaluation of udder health status.