LECTURE LVI 

 DISORDERS OF THE UDDER 



Garget (Mammitis) 



Mammitis is an inflammation of the gland tissue and other 

 structures composing the udder. Some congestion and harden- 

 ing of the udder is probably normal at about the time of par- 

 turition. 



Causes. — Garget (mammitis or mastitis) is usually caused 

 directly by germ infection or injury, aided by infection. Germs 

 probably gain entrance in many cases through the milk ducts 

 of the teats. There is great variation in the severity of these 

 cases. Some cases of garget are very mild, and some lead to 

 rapid loss of the udder. 



Many cases of garget are the result of infection through the 

 teat from retained afterbirth, or from some purulent discharge 

 from the vagina. The infection from a retained afterbirth or 

 from the vaginal discharge becomes smeared upon the teat-, 

 bacteria gain entrance into the milk canal, where they find 

 favorable conditions for multiplication and rapid extension up 

 the milk canal into the udder. Some cases receive their infec- 

 tion from the hands of milkers who have milked other cows 

 which have such infectious material upon the teats or the 

 udder. In other cases the infection may have been carried into 

 the milk duct by milk tubes. 



Many preventable causes contribute to garget, e.g. excessively 

 high feeding, cold cement floors, high door sills and low udders, 

 washing followed by chilling, etc. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of garget are the usual symp- 

 toms of inflammation in any soft organ : i.e., pain, heat, redness, 

 and swelling. This is one of the most easily recognized diseases 

 of live stock. 



Results. — Garget usually leaves a damaged udder. In some 

 cases the damage may be extreme and in others slight ; but it is 

 probable that few cases are ever completely restored to normal. 



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