Milk and Mastitis

Llama milk differs from that of other traditional livestock species, having more protein, sugar, and calcium and less fat, sodium, potassium, and chloride than other ruminants. Acute mastitis may be recognized by the presence of heat, pain, and swelling of the udder. Palpation of the udder may reveal edema, firmness of the gland, and enlargement of the supramammary lymph nodes. Expulsion of milk from the gland may reveal altered color, the presence of flakes or clots, and either a thinner (e.g., serous) or thicker character. Some bacteria may cause septicemia or toxemia as recognized by increased rectal temperature, elevated heart rate, decreased appetite, and marked reduction in milk production.

Subclinical mastitis is the most common form of mastitis. Subclinical mastitis may be recognized by reduced cria growth, neonatal malnutrition, and neonatal death caused by starvation. Subclinical mastitis may be caused by a variety of bacteria. Chronic subclinical mastitis causes progressive fibrosis and decreased ability to produce milk. Diagnosis of subclinical mastitis is done by palpation of the udder, milk culture, or use of animal side milk tests (e.g., black plate, strip cup, CMT). Occasionally, udder abscesses are recognized by swelling, edema, or rupture of the abscess to the exterior. Herd managers should be encouraged to perform routine udder palpation and milk tests when animals freshen and at appropriate intervals given the management system to evaluate for heat, pain, and edema.

A variety of treatment regimens have been used for treatment of mastitis. Response to treatment varies with the type of pathogen causing disease. Response to parenteral (IV, IM, SC) treatment of mastitis during lactation is highly variable with some pathogens being poorly responsive (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) and some pathogens being highly responsive (coagulase negative Staphylococcus, streptococci) to treatment. Supportive care is the most important component of the treatment regimen. Supportive care includes anti-inflammatory medication, optimal feed intake, hydrotherapy or hot packing of the udder, and “stripping” milk out of the udder. Intramammary infusions are an accepted practice, but little research has been published evaluating this procedure. In our experience, a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and hot packing results in a high cure rate in camelids. The cria should be allowed to “strip” the milk out of the udder as part of normal nursing because “stripping” by hand causes excessive soreness to the teats, and this may cause the female not to allow the cria to nurse. Prevention of mastitis is best accomplished by close attention to hygiene, optimal nutrition, and excellent animal care and housing.

Poor Milkability

Camelid milk should be white, free of clots or debris, and should be able to be expressed. The body condition score (BCS) of the female should be assessed to determine adequacy of nutrition. Lactating females having a BCS of less than 3 out of 10 should be examined to determine if malnutrition, disease, or parasitism is present. Lactating females with BCS >7 out of 10 may have hypogalactia of obesity either because of adipose tissue invasion in the udder or because of fat interference with hormone receptors within the mammary cells. Domperidone and herbal supplements have been used to improve lactation in some females. Domperidone has been used in horses to combat the negative effects of fescue endophyte toxins on milk production. However, the drug may be used to stimulate milk production in a variety of situations because the effect is to increase endogenous levels of prolactin hormone. Prolactin is responsible for stimulating the mammary tissues to produce milk. We have observed beneficial effects of both of these products and routinely use them to stimulate lactation in poor milking females when no cause can be found for the poor milk production.

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