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SUMMER MASTITIS
Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science

Recent publications

1984
2S. Manipulation of Growth in Farm Animals, edited by J.F. Roche and D. O'Caliaghan. ISBN 0-89838-617-8
27. Latent Herpes Virus Infections in Veterinary Medicine, edited by G. Wittmann, A.M. Gaskell and H..J. Rziha.
ISBN 0-89838-622-5
28. Grassland Beef Production, edited by W. Holmes. ISBN 0-89838-65D-O
29. Recent Advances in Virus Diagnosis, edited by M.S. McNulty and J.B. McFerran. ISBN 0-89838-674-8
30. The Male in Farm Animal Reproduction, edited by M. Courot. ISBN 0-89838-682-9

1985
31. Endocrine Causes of Seasonal and Lactational Anestrus in Farm Animals, edited by F. Ellendorff and
F. Elsaesser. ISBN 0-89838-738-8
32. Brucella Melitensis, edited by J.M. Verger and M. Plommet. ISBN 0-89838-742-S

1986
33. Diagnosis of Mycotoxicoses, edned by J.L. Richard and J.R. Thurston. ISBN 0-89838-751-5
34. Embryonic Mortality in Farm Animals, edned by J.M. Sreenan and M.G. Diskin. ISBN 0-89838-m-8
35. Social Space for Domestic Animals, edited by A. Zayan. ISBN 0-89838-773-S
36. The Present State of Leptospirosis Diagnosis and Control, edited by W.A. Ellis and T.w.A. lillie.
ISBN 0-89838-m-9
37. Acute Virus Infections of PouHry, edited by J.B. McFerran and M.S. McNulty. ISBN 0-89838-809-0

1987
38. Evaluation and Control of Meat Quality in Pigs, edned by P.V. Tarrant, G. Eikelenboom and G. Monin.
ISBN 0-89838-854-6
39. Follicular Growth and Ovulation Rate in Farm Animals, edited by J.F. Roche and D. O'Caliaghan.
ISBN 0-8983~
40. Cattle Housing Systems, Lameness and Behaviour, edited by H.K. Wierenga and D.J. Peterse.
ISBN 0-89838-862-7
41. Physiological and Pharmacological Aspects of the Reticulo-rumen, edited by L.A.A. Ooms, A.D. Degryse and
A.S.J.P.A.M. van Miert. ISBN 0-89838-878-3
42. Biology of Stress in Farm Animals: An Integrative Approach, edited by P.A. Wiepkema and P.W.M. van
Adrichem. ISBN 0-89838-895-3
43. Helminth Zoonoses, edited by S. Geerts, V. Kumar and J. Brandt. ISBN 0-89838-896-1
44. Energy Metabolism in Farm Animals: Effects of Housing, Stress and Disease, edited by M.W.A. Verstegen and
A.M. Henken. ISBN 0-89838-974-7
45. Summer Mastitis, edited by G. Thomas, H.J. Over, U. Vecht and P. Nansen. ISBN 0-89838-982-8
 Summer Mastitis
A Workshop in the Community Programme
for the Coordination of Agricultural Research,
held at the Central Veterinary Institute,
Lelystad, The Netherlands, 23-24 October 1986
Sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities,
Directorate General for Agriculture, Coordination of Agricultural Research

Edited by

G. THOMAS & H.J. OVER

Department of Parasitology, Central Veterinary Institute
Lelystad, The Netherlands

U, VECHT
Department of Bacteriology, Central Veterinary Institute
Lelystad, The Netherlands

P. NANSEN
Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology,
Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University,
Copenhagen, Denmark

....
" 1987
MARTINUS NIJHOFF PUBLISHERS
A MEMBER OF THE KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS GROUP
DORDRECHT - BOSTON - LANCASTER
FOR THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Distributors

for the United States and Canada: Kluwer Academic Publishers, P.O. Box 358, Accord Station,
Hingham, MA 02018-0358, USA
for the UK and Ireland: Kluwer Academic Publishers, MTP Press Limited, Falcon House,
Queen Square, Lancaster LA1 1RN, UK
for all other countries: Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, Distribution Center, P.O. Box 322,
3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Summer mastitis.

(Current topics in veterinary medicine and animal

science)
Includes bibliographies.
1. Summer mastitis--Congresses. I. Thomas, G.
II. Commission of the European Communities.
Coordination of Agricultural Research. Ill. Series.
SF967.M3S86 1987 636.2'089819 87-26669

ISBN -13 :978-94-010-8015-6 e-ISBN·13: 978-94-009-3373-6

DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-3373-6

EUR 10819 EN

Book information

Publication arranged by Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General

Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation.

Copyright / legal notice

© 1987 by ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg.

Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1987

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other-
wise, without the prior written permission of the publishers,
Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, P.O. Box 163, 3300 AD Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person acting on behalf of the
Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the following information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE
H.J. Over, P. Nansen, G. Thomas and U. Vecht ix

1. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SUMMER MASTITIS

The epidemiology of summer mastitis
J.E. Hillerton 3
Summer mastitis in I rish dairy herds
W.J. Meaney & J. Egan 10
The occurrence of summer mastitis related to the foraging activities of
Hydrotaea irritans (Fall.)
s.A. Nielsen, B. Overgaard Nielsen, J.W. Hansen, P. Nansen & J. Olesen 14
Heifer mastitis in Sweden during a three year period (1982 - 1985):
background and some preliminary data on the incidence of heifer
mastitis
S.-O. Olsson, P. Jonsson, O. Holmberg & H. Funke 18
The epidemiology of summer mastitis in the Netherlands
J. Sol, U. Vecht & J. W. Seinhorst 23
Factors contributing to differential risk between heifers in contracting
summer mastitis
G. Thomas, H.J. Prijs & J.J. Trapman 30
References 36
Discussion 39

2. BACTERIOLOGY OF THE DISEASE

The bacteriology of summer mastitis
M. Madsen 43
Heifer mastitis in Sweden during a three years period (1982-1985):
bacteriological findings in udder secretion from clinical and
subclinical cases
P. Jonsson, S.-O. Olsson, O. Holmberg, H. Funke & A.-S. Olofson 50
The bacteriological constitution of Dutch summer mastitis cases
U. Vecht, H.J. Wisse/ink, J. Sol & A.E.J.M. van den Bogaard 56
Gaschromatographic analysis of summer mastitis secretions for the
presumptive diagnosis of infections by obligate anaerobic bacteria
A. E.J. M. van den Bogaard, U. Vecht & J. Sol 63
Summer mastitis: bacteriological aspects
J. Reichmuth & G. Hahn 68
References 70
Discussion 76
vi

3. AETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS

Aetiology and pathogenesis of summer mastitis
AJ. Bramley 81
Experimental studies in transmission of summer mastitis
J.E. Hillerton & AJ. Bramley 86
A study of the aetiology of summer mastitis using experimental infections
U. Vecht, H.J. Wisselink & AM. Ham-Hoffies 90
References 97
Discussion 99

4. TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASE

Cattle flies and the transmission of summer mastitis
G. Thomas 103
Vector biology of flies on grazing cattle in Germany
A. Liebisch 109
The fly fauna of heifers and the transmission of summer mastitis in Denmark
8. Overgaard Nielsen, S.A Nielsen & J. Jespersen 116
Heifer mastitis in Sweden during a three year period (1982 - 1985):
entomological aspects
J. Chirico, P. Jonsson, S.-O. Olsson, O. Holmberg & H. Funke 121
Chromosome and enzyme variation in Hydrotaea irritans (Fallen)
(Diptera: Muscidae)
V. Loeschke, B. Overgaard Nielsen, B. Christensen, II. Simonsen,
S.A Nielsen & D. Andersen 125
Bacterial survival and feeding pattern in Hydrotaea irritans: two
essential variables for a transmission model of summer mastitis
G. Thomas, U. Vecht, J.AJ. Breeuwer, H.J. Wisselink & J.N. v.d. Linden 131
A culture technique for Hydrotaea irritans
H.J. Over, G. Thomas, J.N. v.d. Linden, M.J. v.d. Berg & A v.d. Lugt 139
References 145
Discussion 149

5. PREVENTION AND THERAPY

The prevention and therapy of summer mastitis in Europe
~~ 1~

Prevention of summer mastitis by fly control: a field trial with

Deltamethrin as pour-on
G. Bertels 163
The ability of insecticidal ear-tags, collars and pour-ons to control flies
(Diptera: Muscidae) and to prevent summer mastitis in heifers
J. B. Jespersen & K. M. Vagn-Jensen 166
Results of the control of flies and summer mastitis by using different
pyrethroids and forms of application in Germany
A Liebisch 173
 vii

Prevention and therapy of summer mastitis: observations of field

outbreaks in the U.K.
C.A. Watson 180
Chemical fly control on cattle: risks for the development of resistance
R. De Deken 183
References 186
Discussion 190

6. ECONOMICS AND ERGONOMICS

Economic and ergonomic implications of summer mastitis
J. Reichmuth 195
Consequences of summer mastitis on dairy farm productivity
J. W. Seinhorst 199
Economic losses associated with summer mastitis in pregnant
and non-pregnant heifers
P. Nansen, J. W. Hansen & V. Oestergaard 203
Summer mastitis in Belgium: geographical distribution and economic loss
G. Bertels 208
References 213
Discussion 214

7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 217

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 223

 ix

PREFACE

This Community meeting has been organised, since over the past 15 years in different
countries of Western Europe including Scandinavia, a lot of research has been directed to
the summer mastitis problem.
Summer mastitis in cattle is a well known disease which, because of its abruptness and
the difficulties concerned in defining the predisposing factors and the pathogens involved, is
hard to control. Moreover, as it is anticipated that in the transmission of the bacteria one or
more dipterans are involved, the complexity in defining the disease and hence co-ordinating
our scientific knowledge in relation to practical control was stimulus enough for this
workshop to be organised.
Our aims can be summarised in the following goals:
1. Exchange of information in the practical, technical and scientific field in order to
stimulate a co-ordinated research approach at a time in which the cattle husbandry
sector is under great economical stress.
2. Inform research workers from countries where the disease is or seems to be, not endemic,
on aspects that might be of interest for them in the approach of comparable problems.
3. To draw up conclusions and recommendations with regard to future research activities
in order to avoid needless duplication of effort.
With these goals in mind the organising committee has set up this programme as a forum
for activities and to synthesise and compile the results of the research activities in a single
comprehensive publication. We would also like to take this opportunity to express our
thanks to the Directorate-General for Agriculture of the Commission of the European
Communities. Moreover, thanks are due to numerous anonymous collaborators who
functioned in a supporting role and helped to make the workshop a success, in particular
Mrs C.D. Propsma-van der Haven whose invaluable assistance in preparing the manuscript is
gratefully acknowledged.

H.J. Over
P. Nansen
G. Thomas
U. Vecht

Lelystad and Copenhagen, December 1986.

1. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SUMMER MASTITIS

Chairmen J.E. Hillerton & H.J. Over

 3

THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SUMMER MASTITIS

J. E. Hillerton
Milking and Mastitis Centre,
AFRC Institute for Research on Animal Diseases,
Compton, Berks, RG16 ONN, U.K.

ABSTRACT
The incidence of summer mastitis, or more accurately A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis,
is considered in terms of animals at risk, stage of gestation, season of the year and ge-
ographical occurrence of the infection. It is significant that a large proportion of cases occur
in the spring in housed animals. However the majority of cases are associated with autumn
calving cows and heifers, at summer pasture.
Susceptibility to infection varies with the age of the cow, breed, breeding and husbandry.
Disease is coincident with the occurrence of a potential vector, the fly Hydrotaea irritans,
in summer but not in winter/spring. The mechanism of infection might be similar in both
seasons once the cow is contaminated by the bacteria. The absence of the vector in spring
may explain the much lower incidence of disease then.
Little is known of the effects of husbandry; especially nutritional and environmental
stresses, on increasing susceptibility to infection. This should be remedied. More accurate
diagnosis is required, it is at best 80% accurate, to confirm A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis,
as anaerobic culturing is rarely used routinely.

INTRODUCTION
Summer mastitis is one colloquiallism for an imprecisely defined infection. It can be
assumed to include all clinical infections of the non-lactating mammary gland of cattle from
which a complex bacterial flora is isolated. The bacterial pathogens should include
Actinomyces pyogenes and anaerobic bacteria or evidence that such a mixture has been
involved in the infection. The disease is recognised as occurring in an epidemic form in the
developed dairy industries of northern Europe and Japan. It is most prevalent in the summer.
This is believed to be related to the high number of animals at risk and the occurrence of a
fly vector encouraging rapid spread of infection at this time.
The fine details from all reports in the literature have recently been compiled by Tolle
et al. (1985) and will not be repeated here, instead some of the evidence surrounding the
dogma of summer mastitis will be examined. Using data mostly from England and Wales,
the following will be considered; the incidence of the disease in relation to geography,
annual and seasonal patterns, animals at risk; susceptibility, especially related to breed,
physiology and population; and coincidences such as other infections, flies and animal
husbandry.
4

INCIDENCE
There is a plethora of incidence data complicated by different breeds of cattle from
different areas and collected in different years. A consensus would indicate that 20-60% of
dairy herds in U.K., Eire, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, West Germany, East
Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland and the Baltic states are infected annually
with one or more cases. The incidence figures vary from year to year but generally the
same herds always suffer from summer mastitis. It would appear that the incidence of
disease has decreased considerably in recent years especially in the Netherlands (Sol et al.,
19851. There is some evidence from England and Wales (Table 11 that fewer herds have been
affected recently and with fewer cases per herd. However, whether this reduction is real and
related to control measures is unproven as the results show that the level has only dropped
to that prevalent when the survey commenced 8 years ago. The early 1980's were marked
by a higher incidence of summer mastitis.
The same annual pattern does not feature over the whole of northern Europe, possibly
because of differences in weather, although the patterns for West Germany and England
and Wales appear similar (Tolle and Reichmuth, 19851.
Incidence data are usually based on clinical cases and figures can be separated for dry
cows, pregnant heifers and non-pregnant heifers. These show that a similar incidence occurs
in dry cows and pregnant heifers, 1-3% of animals at risk, with usually more pregnant
heifers affected. Non-pregnant animals suffer a much lower incidence, 0.2-0.5% animals
at risk (Tolle et al., 1985 and Table 1I.

TABLE 1. Incidence of summer mastitis as determined on farms by the Milk Marketing

Board of England and Wales (O'Rourke, et al., 1984; O'Rourke, pers. comm.l.

Year No. of % No. cases! % animals infected

herds infected herd dry cows pregnant non-pregnant
herds heifers heifers

1978 248 43 3.5

1979 393 40 2.4
1980 416 43 2.6
1981 391 59 4.1
1982 499 54 2.6
1983 484 42 2.7 1.2 1.9 0.6
1984 251 40 2.5 1.2 1.1 0.4
1985 275 35 2.1 1.0 1.5 0.5

The use of dry cow therapy is widespread throughout northern Europe. Whereas, before
 5

the advent of such treatment most dry period infections occurred soon after drying off, the
risk has now shifted, to the latter half of the dry period (Hillerton et al., 1987). Fewer
animals are therefore effectively at risk until the prophylactic effect of dry cow therapy has
declined. On this basis the true incidence in dry cows could be up to double the quoted
figures, despite fewer animals in total being infected.
It is often assumed that because an infection is labelled summer mastitis it is an A.
pyogenes/anaerobe infection. The accuracy of diagnosis will affect the incidence figures.
Of 252 summer mastitis cases in England and Wales examined in 1983 and 1984,80% were
proven by bacteriology to have been correctly diagnosed as A. pyogenes/anaerobe infections
(Hillerton et al., 1987). The incidence data quoted from this study are based on these cases
and therefore are true incidence rates.
Summer mastitis is considered most prevalent in autumn calving herds where most
animals are at risk in the peak months of incidence, July, August and September. Spring
calving herds also experience the problem (Meaney and Egan, 1982). Mastitis, from which
A. pyogenes is isolated, occurs throughout the year but in most instances no anaerobic
culture is attempted. Bearing this restriction in mind the U.K. Veterinary Investigation
Service figures provide an approximate monthly incidence of A. pyogenes mastitis in cases
reported for investigation. It is not known if all cases are in non-lactating animals but
most are assumed to be as the usual incidence of A. pyogenes mastitis in lactating cows is
< 0.7 cases/week/lOOO cows (unpublished field data).
The results (Fig 1) suggest that most cases occur in August as expected and this is
certainly a gross underestimate of the true picture as few veterinarians will bothe.r to send
forfurther investigation samples from a dry cow mastitis at this time of year. However using
National Milk Records data from 1600 herds (S. V. Morant, pers. comm.) to weight the cases
by the number of animals at risk, there is an obvious spring peak in incidence of A. pyogenes
mastitis. Similar results are known from England in 1967-1970 (unpublished field data),
a cohort of 273 herds closely monitored in England in 1980-1982 (Francis et al., 1986)
and from Schleswig-Holstein in 1950-1964 (Untermann, 1965). In all these surveys when
corrected for animals at risk, the spring peak was equal to, or greater than, the autumn peak.
Local variations in the disease incidence are numerous and poorly explained. There is
evidence that incidence is higher on well drained sandy soils (Saes, 1970). Investigation of
this in England has not confirmed the observation but this may be due to the relative
absence of dairying from sandy soils in England. These sandy soils are mostly acidic
heath land unlike the"soils of Limburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Correlation of dairying and
summer mastitis with soil type in England and Wales is not with sandy soils but with soils
with a high organic matter content which is similar to the soils of Limburg and Schleswig-
Holstein. Although not necessarily well draining, these soils have an open structure and
so can be construed as particularly suitable to support active fly larvae.
6

"-
UJ
UJ 1200
UJ
rU
0
.....
0

0
c 800
I
0- •
>,
H H
O'"CI
- UJ
X ~
400
- 0
0
UJ
UJdP
UJ
rU
0
.....
0
0
0
Z July Sept Nov Jan Mar May
Month

Figure 1. + - monthly incidence of A. pyogenes mastitis as reported to the U.K. Veterinary

Investigation Service, total numbers reported from 1978-1985 .
• - monthly incidence of A. pyogenes mastitis, reported as above, weighted by
the proportion of dairy cows dry in that month. (MAF F, 1975-1985).

Little is known of the incidence in beef herds where cows are dry for a much longer
period, but the disease occurs in Charolais cattle in France and in mixed breed suckler herds
in Scotland where the local incidence, up to 20%, is ohen higher than in dairy animals
(15%) (R. Plenderleith, pers. comm.).

SUSCEPTIBILITY
Overall, the incidence of A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis is 10 fold higher in dry cows
than in lactating cows. This may be related to the relative composition of milk and dry
secretion. A. pyogenes grows poorly at pH 6.6, as found in milk, but well in alkaline media,
as in dry secretion (Hillerton, unpublished). It is a relatively slow growing organism which
establishes with difficulty in the lactating gland. When infection is found in housed,
lactating cows it is probably related to high environmental challenge from other sites of
infection (e.g. genital tract), lesions and a poorly maintained milking machine.
The incidence of summer mastitis in Friesian cattle is much higher than in other breeds.
In Schleswig-Holstein the incidence in Friesians is 3 times that in the Angler (Sieck, 1982).
Breed differences also appear likely in Denmark, the Netherlands and the U.K. with
Friesians being most susceptible. In East Germany breeding experiments indicated that the
 7

susceptibility was much lower in Jersey/Friesian crosses than in pure-bred Friesians (Muller,
1977).
Within breeds there are noticeable differences in susceptibility to infection. In Denmark
the sire has been shown to influence susceptibility (Hansen and Nielsen, 1983) and sire is
known to affect overall susceptibility to mastitis as well as other mucosal infections (Lie,
1985). Evidence is now being gathered that effects of the dam are also distinguishable
(A.M. Russell, pers. comm.). The different susceptibilities are partly related to milk yield
and rate of milking suggesting that the diameter of the teat duct and its closing ability are
related to bacterial invasion of the udder. Also teat size and colour might influence
attractiveness to vectors. Breeds with small teats and hairy udders seem to contract summer
mastitis less frequently.
The effect of pregnancy on disease susceptibility is marked. Pregnant heifers are 10 fold
more susceptible than non-pregnant heifers or calves and susceptibility appears higher in late
gestation animals. Whilst this is true for dry cows this is biased since cows are rarely dry
other than in late gestation. Heifers may be infected in early gestation (Hillerton et al.,
1987). Spring calving heifers frequently become infected in the preceding autumn.
Nationally, relatively few heifers are spring-calving so the incidence of infection is low and
susceptibility may depend on whether an animal is pregnant or not and be less likely to
change over pregnancy.
Age has a considerable effect on susceptibility to A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis (Hiller-
ton, et al., 1987). When the number of cases occurring in cows of particular ages is weighted
according to the proportion of such animals in the herd it becomes apparent that cows
in the fourth and subsequent lactations are more susceptible to A. pyogenes/anaerobe
mastitis. The susceptibility apparently declines beyond lactation 6 and this may reflect
relatively high disease resistance in those animals persisting longest in the herd. Considering
the relatively high rate of infection established in heifers by experimental intramammary
challenge these differences may reflect alterations in the resistance at the teat end brought
about by milking.
Hillerton et al. (1987) have shown that infections occur most frequently in the front
quarters of autumn calving cattle contrary to the situation with other forms of mastitis.
The quarter distribution for A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis cases occurring at other times
of the year is unknown. The former might reflect the easier access of flies to the teats
and less disturbance from the tail.
It is most intriguing that when investigating field outbreaks of summer mastitis,
neighbours, apparently farming in an identical manner, often never encounter summer
mastitis problems. Local difference in pasture topography may be important (Hansen and
Nielsen, 1983). Nutritional differences are less likely to be important as the problems are
rarely on leys and major differences in disease incidence can occur e.g. in different groups
8

of heifers on the same conserved downland. This circumstantial evidence supports either
genetic variation in susceptibility, differences in attractiveness to a vector or micro-ecological
differences between pastures. In all countries where the incidence of summer mastitis is
high it is greater on low-lying, tree-lined meadows or leeward sides of hills than on more
exposed pastures such as open downland. These local environments reflect the local climatic
requirements of the supposed fly vector. Different types of pasture are more likely to affect
the level of vector borne bacterial challenge to the cattle than by a manipulation of inherent
susceptibility.

COINCIDENCES
A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis is a product of a series of events of varying probability.
These include the extent and frequency of bacterial challenge, the susceptibility of the
mammary gland to invasion and the subsequent likelihood of establishment of the bacteria.
Environmental factors may influence these stages.
Challenge by the bacteria must be relatively common as all pathogens including the
anaerobic bacteria are common around cattle and other species. Challenge may be increased
as similar combinations of the bacteria occur in other infections. Investigation of the
Veterinary Investigation Service returns in the U.K. shows that the seasonal peaks in A.
pyogenes mastitis are coincident with peaks in foetopathy. In the U.K., cases of abortion are
investigated closely but too few are diagnosed as being caused by A. pyogenes to produce a
substantial increase in the environmental challenge by this organism.
I n the summer the peak of A. pyogenes/anaerobe mastitis is coincident with the activity,
specifically, of female Hydrotaea irritans on cattle and especially on their teats. Although
this fly is widespread across the whole Palaearctic region it is not coincident with epidemic
mastitis outside northern Europe. This may be attributed to the relatively low number of
animals at risk in other areas, since all epidemic infections show some density dependence of
host, e.g. in the Coruna region of Spain H. irritans occur on cattle but 70% of dairy cows
calve in spring and less than 5% over the summer when the flies visit cattle (J. Rey, pers.
comm.). This is probably similar for most other southern European countries. The fly
is not found in Japan where an epidemic spread ofthe disease occurs in June. The commonest
cattle- visiting fly there is Musca hervei but it has not been linked with the disease. Perhaps
H. meteorica, shown to carry summer mastitis pathogens in the U.K. (Bramley et al., 1985)
and known to occur on cattle in Japan (H. Satashi, pers. comm.) is. ,i,nvolved. I n several
developing world countries it is quite likely that an epidemic form of A. pyogenes/anaerobe
mastitis occurs but is unrecognised because of its relatively low importance to the industry.
Many of these countries have a high mastitis incidence and a large proportion of cows with
a blind quarter.
It is diffiCtJlt to find common features linking the two main disease episodes amooghoused
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