National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Bangalore has received a grant of around Rs.10 lakh from the NABARD (National Bank of Agricultural and Rural Development) for the control of sub-clinical Mastitis, an infection of the mammary glands of the bovine population.

NDRI had applied for a research grant to conduct a project for control and early detection of the disease in Karnataka which commenced in December 2010.


The Institute is targeting the dairy farmers of the Kolar and Bangalore milk unions apart from individual dairy farms having both indigenous and high yielding cross breed cows.

Incidence of sub-clinical Mastitis is high among Jersey and Holstein Friesian cross bred cows which are basically from temperate climatic zones. When these cows are in Indian tropical climatic conditions, this disease occurs because of poor hygienic conditions, Dr K P Ramesha, principal scientist (AGB), Southern Campus of NDRI, Bangalore told F&B News.

It is difficult for the dairy farming community to assess the symptoms of sub clinical Mastitis. Only when the mammary glands become hard and painful and quality of milk changes, the farmers realize that the animal is suffering. “We want to control the infection early. Hence NDRI embarked on a project for sub clinical Mastitis detection and farmer training on the disease,” he added.

The NDRI Mastitis project team is led by Dr D N Das, principal investigator, Dr K P Ramesha, co-principal investigator, Dr Mukund Kataktalware, scientist, Dr Varalakshmi, scientist, Krishnamurthy, senior technical officer and Chetana, research associate.

Mastitis is a major disease for the dairy industry globally because it adversely affects animal health, quality of milk and economics of milk production resulting in huge financial losses. Mastitis is categorized as sub clinical and clinical. Sub clinical reports no swelling of the udder or observable abnormalities in the milk. Clinical Mastitis can be mild or acute, but indicates abnormal milk texture such as flakes, clots or watery appearance. Severe clinical Mastitis causes a hot, hard sensitive udder and the animal suffers from fever, weakness, poor appetite and pain.

According to NDRI, the prevalence of Mastitis is more in high yielding crossbreed cows than indigenous breeds of cattle.

The total estimated economic loss in India due to Mastitis is Rs.16,072 million. In cows, average decrease in milk yields due to clinical and sub clinical Mastitis is estimated to be 50 per cent and 17.5 per cent respectively. The incidence level of clinical and sub clinical Mastitis in India ranged from 11.51 per cent to 23.55 per cent in indigenous and 18.40 per cent to 72.60 per cent in crossbreed cows respectively.

“Tests to detect Mastitis practiced under field conditions by NDRI team are Electrical Conductivity Test, California Mastitis test and Porta Check Somatic Cell Count Milk Test. These tests sometimes need further confirmation through microbiological evaluation,” stated Dr Ramesha.