Intramammary antibiotic treatment at the end of lactation for prophylaxis and treatment of intramammary infections in ewes.

Ewes treated by intramammary infusion of cephapirin benzathine at the end of lactation were less likely to develop new intramammary infections by early in the next lactation. A controlled clinical trial involving 135 treated ewes and 145 untreated control ewes evaluated the prophylactic and treatment efficacy of intramammary antibiotic treatment of ewes at the time of weaning lambs. Milk samples for bacteriologic examination and identification of intramammary infections were collected at weaning of lambs and 1 to 3 weeks into the subsequent lactation. Untreated ewes were 2.6 times more likely than treated ewes to develop new intramammary infections between sampling times. Existence of an intramammary infection in one mammary gland significantly increased the risk of the other mammary gland becoming infected. Treatment also appeared to be associated with a higher cure rate of existing infections.