by Dr Konstantinos V Arsenopoulos, Associate Professor of Cattle and Herd Medicine, UNIC School of Veterinary Medicine

Introduction by Dr Manos Vlasiou, Assistant Professor, Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Programme Coordinator, UNIC School of Veterinary Medicine

BRIEF SUMMARY

Intramammary infections (IMI) caused by various pathogens may lead to clinical or subclinical mastitis, challenging the health and welfare status of infected animals, and reducing the quantity and quality of the milk produced. Additionally, the zoonotic potential of some of the pathogens isolated from IMI cases, the emergence of antibiotic resistance due to extensive antibiotic use for IMI treatment, and the accumulation of antibiotic residues in milk and meat represent significant concerns for public health. Therefore, investigating IMI risk factors, including fly infestation, and proposing effective measures to mitigate their effects on animal health and welfare are crucial. Among several physiological, behavioural, clinical, and biochemical traits, serum cortisol (SC) and creatine kinase (CK) levels, as well as feed consumption, can be used as valid indicators of potentially stressful and fatiguing conditions and, therefore, can be effectively used for stress analysis studies. Deltamethrin treatment was associated with reduced (i) number of flies (mostly Musca domestica) landing on treated ruminants compared to untreated ones; (ii) colony-forming units in the case of Non-aureus Staphylococci IMI; (iii) number of somatic cells in the milk; and (iv) an increased consumption of feedstuff in deltamethrin-treated animals compared to untreated ones. Finally, serum cortisol and creatine kinase levels were significantly lower in deltamethrin-treated ruminants, indicating a less stressful environment for them.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr Konstantinos V Arsenopoulos is an Associate Professor of Cattle and Herd Medicine at the University of Nicosia. He earned his veterinary degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. He also holds two Master’s degrees: one in ‘Breeding and Internal Medicine of Ruminants’ and another in ‘Farm Animal Production’.

His PhD focused on ‘Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases’, also from Aristotle University. After completing his PhD, he conducted postdoctoral research there for two years. More recently, he obtained an MBA from Panteion University, Athens. Over the past decade, his research has centred on the breeding and internal medicine of ruminants, like sheep, goats, cattle, and buffaloes, with a focus on parasites and parasitic diseases, which are important in veterinary medicine and herd management.