Comparisons of the composition and biogeographic distribution of the bacterial communities occupying South African thermal springs with those inhabiting deep subsurface fracture water.

South Africa has numerous thermal springs that represent topographically driven meteoric water migrating along major fracture zones. The temperature (40-70°C) and pH (8-9) of the thermal springs in the Limpopo Province are very similar to those of the low salinity fracture water encountered in the South African mines at depths ranging from 1.0 to 3.

Relationship among specific bacterial counts and total bacterial and somatic cell counts and factors influencing their variation in ovine bulk tank milk.

To analyze the relationship among the counts of different organisms and total bacterial count (BTTBC) and somatic cell count (BTSCC) as determined in dairy laboratories in ovine bulk tank milk, 751 bulk tank milk samples from 205 dairy sheep flocks belonging to Consortium for Ovine Promotion (CPO) were collected between January and December 2011. Four samplings were carried out in each flock, once per season, throughout 1 yr. Variables analyzed were bulk tank counts of thermoduric, psychrotrophic, coliform, and gram-positive catalase-negative cocci (GPCNC) bacterial groups.

Characterization of coagulase-positive staphylococci isolated from tank and silo ewe milk.

The prevalence of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) was studied among 390 samples of ewe milk. Fifty-seven (14.85%) samples of tank milk and all samples (6) of silo milk gave a positive result on Baird-Parker agar base supplemented with rabbit plasma fibrinogen, whereas amplification of the coagulase (coa) gene was successful in 6 (1.

Short communication: effect of dry therapy using an intramammary infusion on bulk tank somatic cell count in sheep.

A total of 3,141 records of bulk tank milk somatic cell counts (BTSCC) and bulk tank milk total bacterial counts (BTTBC) were obtained over 24 mo from 25 dairy flocks of Assaf ewes belonging to the Consortium for Ovine Promotion in Castilla-León, Spain, in which a complete dry therapy program was carried out in 10,313 ewes using an antibiotic infusion containing 100 mg of penethamate hydriodide, 280 mg of benethamine penicillin, and 100 mg of framycetin sulfate. The selection criteria for all flocks were BTSCC mean values > or =1,000 x 10(3) cells/mL and absence of dry therapy before the start of this experiment. Significant effects on log BTSCC were detected for treatment, milking system, flock within milking system, month within flock by treatment, the interactions treatment by milking system and flock by treatment within milking system, and log BTTBC.

Influence of an intramammary infusion at drying-off of combined penethamate hydriodide, benethamine penicillin, and framycetin sulfate on intramammary infections and somatic cell counts in dairy sheep.

The dynamics of intramammary infection (IMI) during the dry period were studied in 435 half-udders of 229 Assaf ewes, belonging to 2 flocks with high and medium IMI prevalences. Ewes were randomly assigned to 2 lots: 1) treated lot (TL) with 223 half-udders (118 ewes), which received complete dry therapy (1 syringe/teat) of an antibiotic combination containing 100 mg of penethamate hydriodide, 280 mg of benethamine penicillin, and 100 mg of framycetin sulfate, and 2) control lot (CL) with 212 nontreated half-udders (111 ewes). Two samplings per half-udder were carried out on 2 different days in the 5 d preceding drying-off, and 2 other samplings were again carried out in the 5 first d of the postpartum period.