Treatment Method

Abstract

A treatment composition for treating or preventing bovine mastitis, the treatment composition characterised in that it includes at least two components which have an isoelectric point of or above substantially 6.8 and is extracted from milk, or a milk derived substance.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]This invention relates to a treatment method.[0002]In particular it relates to a method of treating bovine mastitis, and a method of producing the treatment composition.BACKGROUND ART[0003]Mastitis is an inflammatory disease of the mammary gland of a mammal.[0004]The inflammation is the result of infection by any of a multitude of bacteria, mycoplasmas, yeast and fungi. The range of different organisms that can cause mastitis and their varying susceptibilities to antibiotics presents the greatest challenge in the treatment and prevention of mastitis in dairy cows.[0005]Bovine mastitis may be caused by Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species and Enterbacter species, or by Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci species, and Streptococci such as Streptococcus uberus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and by Mycoplasma bovis. [0006]Bacterial infection via the teats is the most common cause...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0071]It has long been known that at involution (cessation of milking, drying off) there is increased production of the defense proteins which have strong antimicrobial and antiviral activity, immunomodulatory, and cell growth and repair activities.

[0212]Provides a synergistic effect between a number of components within the cationic fraction—again including efficiency and activity.

Problems solved by technology

The range of different organisms that can cause mastitis and their varying susceptibilities to antibiotics presents the greatest challenge in the treatment and prevention of mastitis in dairy cows.

There is an increased risk of intra-mammary infection during the dry period because the teat is no longer protected by the flow of milk through the teat.

The large volume of milk may also overwhelm the natural defense systems in the udder.

Teat seal formulations are currently available—however it is not known for these to include milk components, such as lactoferrin or lactoperoxidase.

Antibiotics require withholding periods which can increase the time and effort required by the farmer, and may not effectively target the pathogens causing the mastitis.

Aminoglycosides have a broader spectrum of activity but are not effective against bacteria with rapid growth.

This is particularly due to the following:the high cost of the treatment,the loss of milk during the infected period, and subsequent withholding period following the use of antibiotics. if antibiotics are found in the milk supplied to a dairy company, the whole batch may need to be discarded, and the farmer may face large penalties.cross-contamination within the herdlong-term loss of milk over the life of the animal due to decreased mammary capacity

Most micro organisms need iron for growth and therefore Lf has the potential to inhibit the growth of bacteria and even kill them by depriving them of iron.

Unfortunately extraction and purification methods can be time consuming, expensive and hard to develop and implement, especially on a large scale.

Also, the pure products are not fully effective in treating infection.

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