Abstract
Gangrenous mastitis caused by Clostridium perfringens was observed in a three-year-old Holstein cow on a dairy farm near Obihiro, Hokkaido, It was noticed on the next day of parturition by the manifestation of marked congestion, edema, pain, discoloration, and hard sswelling of the rear quarters. Sulfonamides or antibiotics had no effect to prevent it from spreading to the other quarters. Milk secretion stopped completely and the udder became cold. The animal was slaughtered on the 5th day of illness. Autopsy revealed edema and hnmorrhage of the subcutaneous tissue, and gangrene of ehe mammary gland. There were congestion in the liver and follicular swelling in the spleen.
Gram-positive, anaerobic bacilli were isolated from three mammary quarters and a milk sample before death, and identified as Cl. perfringens by biological and cultural findings. The toxin-antitoxin reaction and the agglutination test demonstrated that they belonged to type A.
