Srinagar, Oct. 17 -- A cow may look healthy, eat normally and show no obvious signs of illness, yet have an udder infection that affects her milk production. This condition, known as mastitis, is one of the common challenges faced by dairy farmers. It refers to inflammation of the udder, often caused by bacteria entering through the teat opening.

Mastitis can occur in two forms. In clinical mastitis, the signs are usually visible. The udder may become swollen, hot or painful, and the milk may contain clots, flakes, blood or appear unusually watery. In subclinical mastitis, the cow may look healthy and the milk may appear normal, but milk production can decline without the farmer noticing. This hidden form can go undetected unless appropr...