review · Veterinary Medicine International
A systematic review and meta-analysis of seventeen studies covering 6,438 dairy cows reveals that the overall pooled prevalence of bovine mastitis in Ethiopia between 2005 and 2022 was 43.60 per cent. Subclinical mastitis accounted for 32.21 per cent of cases, whilst clinical mastitis represented 12.59 per cent. Regional prevalence varied from 25.09 per cent in Amhara to 49.90 per cent in Oromia, with higher rates observed between 2017 and 2022 compared to 2005 to 2016. Gram-positive bacteria were identified as the predominant causative agents, representing 84.70 per cent of isolates compared to 15.30 per cent for Gram-negative bacteria. Significant risk factors linked to the disease include cow breed, stage of lactation, parity, previous history of mastitis, floor type, and teat injury. Managing the condition effectively requires early diagnosis, proper medication, and targeted prevention strategies.
Bovine mastitis creates substantial economic burdens within the dairy sector and directly undermines herd health. The findings show that over four in ten dairy cows assessed in Ethiopia were affected, with the vast majority suffering from undetected, subclinical infections. Identifying primary bacterial causes and environmental or physical risk factors helps dairy practitioners and veterinary services implement targeted farm hygiene and management interventions.
The findings can inform veterinary pharmaceutical developers and dairy herd managers seeking targeted interventions. Because most infections stem from Gram-positive bacteria, therapeutics and teat disinfectants can be selected specifically for these pathogens. Additionally, the high rate of subclinical mastitis indicates an application pathway for accessible, rapid on-farm diagnostic tests. Because this study presents baseline epidemiological analysis rather than a tested product, associated technological applications remain at an early concept stage.
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Bovine mastitis remains a major prevalent disease in cattle and places a significant economic burden on the global dairy industry. The goal of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the overall prevalence of mastitis and its associated risk factors among dairy cows. Scientific articles written in English were recovered from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and other sources from Google Engine and University Library Databases. “Prevalence,” “bovine mastitis,” “clinical mastitis,” “subclinical mastitis,” “associated factors,” “dairy cows,” and “Ethiopia” were search terms used for this study. For critical appraisal, PRISMA 2009 was applied. Heterogeneity and publication bias were evaluated using Cochran’s Q, inverse variance (I2), and funnel plot asymmetry tests. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled burden of mastitis and its associated factors among dairy cows, along with the parallel odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 6438 dairy cows were included in the 17 eligible studies for this meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of mastitis among dairy cows in Ethiopia was 43.60% (95% CI: 34.71, 52.49), of which 12.59% (95% CI: 7.18, 18.00) and 32.21% (95% CI: 24.68, 39.74) were clinical and subclinical cases, respectively. Of the regions, the highest and lowest pooled prevalence estimates of mastitis among dairy cows were 49.90% (95% CI: 31.77, 68.03) and 25.09% (95% CI: 3.86, 46.32) in the Oromia and Amhara regions, respectively. The highest pooled prevalence estimate in the study period was recorded between 2017 and 2022, with a pooled prevalence estimate of 46.83% (95% CI: 35.68, 57.97), followed by the study period from 2005 to 2016, with a pooled prevalence estimate of 39.97% (95% CI: 25.50, 54.44). Gram-positive bacteria (84.70%) were the most prevalent mastitis-causing agents compared with Gram-negative bacteria (15.30%). Breed (AOR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.44, 2.90), lactation stage (AOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.15), parity (AOR: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.69, 4.94), history of mastitis (AOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 2.40, 4.71), floor type (AOR: 1.59, 95% CI: −0.16, 3.34), and teat injury (AOR: 6.98, 95% CI: 0.33, 13.64) were factors significantly associated with mastitis among dairy cows in Ethiopia. Early diagnosis and proper medication, as well as implementing appropriate prevention and control measures, are necessary for the management of mastitis in dairy cows.
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DOI: 10.1155/2022/7775197
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