Meta-analysis shows antibiotics and TCM are effective for bovine mastitis in dairy cows

Bovine mastitis significantly impacts dairy production through reduced milk yield and quality, causing substantial economic losses while threatening animal welfare. While antibiotic therapy remains the conventional treatment, growing antimicrobial resistance concerns necessitate exploration of alternative approaches. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has historically been documented for treating mammary inflammatory conditions, yet comprehensive evidence summaries for each treatment modality are needed to inform clinical decisions in the context of AMR. We conducted a meta-analysis by searching PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases from inception to January 2024. Randomized controlled trials and clinical controlled trials involving dairy cows with clinically diagnosed mastitis were included. Studies were assessed using the modified Jadad scale. We analyzed antibiotic efficacy, treatment duration, regimen comparison, TCM efficacy, and TCM administration routes. Our meta-analysis of nine antibiotic studies showed that antibiotics were significantly effective compared to controls (OR: 3.00, 95 % CI: 2.07-4.33). A separate meta-analysis of ten studies on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) also demonstrated significant efficacy against controls (OR: 1.54, 95 % CI: 1.11-2.13), with notably lower heterogeneity. This study provides a parallel evaluation of the evidence base for each treatment modality, highlighting TCM's potential as an alternative or complementary therapy in the context of rising antimicrobial resistance. Both oral and injection TCM administration routes showed comparable effectiveness. TCM's consistent efficacy across different administration routes provides practical flexibility for field application. In the context of growing antimicrobial resistance concerns, TCM presents a promising alternative or complementary approach to conventional antibiotics for bovine mastitis management.