Étude de l’intérêt de l’usage des huiles essentielles de Lamiacées (Mentha, Origanum et Thymus) durant le tarissement dans la maîtrise des mammites staphylococciques des vaches laitières.

Abstract

The dry period is known for its suitability for antimicrobial control of staphylococcal intramammary infections (IIMs). The present work aims to prospectively study the use of essential oils (aromatherapy) at the drying off for the control of staphylococcal mastitis in the conditions of Algerian dairy farms. This study is based on the collection of information regarding the current use of antibiotics, phytotherapy, and aromatherapy during the dry period via a questionnaire survey. Then, an in vitro evaluation of the efficacy of some essential oils of Lamiaceae (Thyme, Oregano, Mint) on Staphylococcus strains isolated from the milk of cows suffering from recurrent mastitis was carried out to select the essential oil(s) to be tested for their in vivo antimicrobial activities. Our survey identified noncompliance with recommended zootechnical practices during the dry period as a risk factor for poor udder health and non-effectiveness of antibiotic therapy at drying off (DCT). The latter is a common practice and is selective in 86.49% of cases, regardless of the health status of the udder. In addition, self-medication, anarchic and selective use of some molecules, mainly ß-lactams with cefalexin as the most infused intramammary antibiotic (40.54%), were noted. This survey confirmed interesting perspectives on the possibility of using phytotherapy and aromatherapy as complementary or palliative approaches to control mastitis and reduce antibiotic use. The study of the antibacterial activities, in vitro and in vivo, of three essential oils from three plants of the Lamiaceae family (Mentha, Origanum and Thymus) against bacteria causing mastitis has shown their very significant effects on different strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The highest inhibition diameter was obtained with the essential oil of Thymus munbyanus (41.07 mm). The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was recorded with the essential oil of Origanum vulgare (0.01%). The application of this oil in vivo on udders of cows with subclinical mastitis showed a significant (P<0.001) decrease in total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB) and a non-significant (P>0.05) decrease in coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS). The use of essential oils seems to be a promising option for the actors of the Algerian dairy sector to join the ""One Health"" concept.