Managing environmental mastitis.

The most common environmental mastitis pathogens among herds of North America are those grouped as coliforms and environmental streptococci. The term “coliform mastitis” frequently is used incorrectly to identify mammary disease caused by all ram-negative bacteria. Genera classified as coliforms are Escherichia, Klebsiella, nd Enterobacter. Other gram-negative bacteria frequently isolated from intramamary infections include species of Serratia, Pseudomonas, and Proteus. Coliform acteria occupy many habitats in the cow’s environment. Escherichia coli are normal nhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract of warm blooded animals. Both Klebsiella spp and Enterobacter spp populate soils, grains, water, and intestinal tracts of animals. Serratia marcesens share many environmental sources with Klebsiella spp and