Research breakthrough suggests mastitis could be treated by sound waves in the future
Cow utter before milking process, Franche Comte, France.
Acoustic pulse technology should be further investigated as a viable and sustainable alternative to antibiotic therapy for mastitis, said Israeli researchers after trialling the method in 129 cows.
Their findings were published last month in , one of the main global research publications.
Acoustic pulse technology (APT) was launched as a mastitis treatment in 2020, and the latest findings hold out the hope of it becoming a cheaper but effective treatment, without the risk of antibiotic resistance.
It could also reduce the need to discard milk, allowing continuous milking of treated cows, and treatment is quicker, non-invasive, and without side effects.
A similar recovery rate was found in cows with clinical or recent subclinical mastitis, but which had no bacterial findings.
However, in cows with chronic mastitis (two or more tests with SCC over 400,000 cells/ml within three months), both the cure and recovery rates were significantly lower (22.2 and 27.8%, respectively).
In their trial, cure was indicated by the absence of bacterial growth in post-treatment cultures, and recovery by a decrease in SCC to under 250,000 in two of three post-treatment tests.
The research was led by Shlomo Eduardo Blum of Israel's Kimron Veterinary Institute.
APT has been used for over 20 years in human healthcare for treating inflammatory diseases. In 2020, the Armenta company in Israel (a world-leading nation in new technology for dairy) launched their APT-X for use directly on the cow’s udder to fight mastitis infections and inflammation quickly, easily, and cost-effectively.
The company's APT project received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.
When infected cows are identified by high somatic cell count or visible signs of infection, and the infected quarter is identified by using the California Mastitis Test (CMT), ultrasound gel is applied on the skin of the infected quarter and acoustic pulses are applied with the hand-held lightweight APT-X apparatus, which is powered by compressed air.
Armenta has been working on automated and streamlined APT treatment for large farms.
Sometimes known as shockwave therapy, APT has been in use for more than 20 years in human healthcare in orthopaedics, physiotherapy, sports medicine, and urology, as well as in veterinary medicine. It has been shown to speed up recovery from infections and injuries by producing new blood vessels, reducing inflammation and improving tissue functioning, alongside other long-term positive effects.
New or more robust blood vessels improve blood supply and oxygenation of the treated area and as a result, accelerate the body’s own healing mechanisms.
The latest research results in Israel followed field studies involving more than 850 dairy cows in nine countries, with results of over 70% recovery rates (normalised SCC and infection-free) and increased milk yield of around 10% or more.
The spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to human and animal health. AMR can develop in mastitis-causing bacteria after antibiotic treatment.
The study suggests APT could be a viable alternative to antibiotics, which they said are becoming less available to farmers due to consumers' growing awareness of AMR.
Their trial results indicated that timing of mastitis identification, and prompt treatment, maybe more important factors than bacterial type.
APT not only promoted tissue recovery after inflammation but also aided in bacterial clearance, helping to decrease the extent of tissue damage in the mammary gland and limit the spread of pathogens between cows and into the milk tank. Thus, APT could be of value.
An economic cost-benefit analysis in Israel looked at treating subclinical mastitis with APT compared to no treatment. With milk yield at 40 litres a day on average, an 18% prevalence of subclinical mastitis, a milk price of €0.32 per litre, and the price for a replacement heifer at €1,500, the latest findings suggest APT could save up to about €15,106 a year in mastitis control costs in a 100-cow herd.
Armenta claims APT for mastitis increases milk yield and quality, and reduces culling. The company says continuous use of antibiotics weakens cows’ immune systems.
The company is also exploring APT for dry-period therapy, and for reproductive disorders and lameness among cattle.
But the emphasis is on treating the clinical and subclinical mammary infections which affect 20- 40% of dairy cows and cause more than €4bn in lost annual revenue in the USA and the EU.
Mastitis is estimated to reduce the practical average herd life of an American cow to only 2.5 lactations.
