Increasing pressure on animal and human health as well as food security, due to antimicrobial resistance, is leading to increased demand for natural-product-derived antibiotics worldwide. Considering the importance of bovine mastitis as well as the huge challenge posed by mastitis therapy in cattle production, the main goal of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the essential oil-based pharmaceutical (Phyto-Bomat), as an alternative to the existing treatment with antibiotics. The therapeutic response of the cows was monitored using clinical and bacteriological cure of the proposed formulation. Among 550 dairy cows, 75 were diagnosed with a clinical or subclinical form of mastitis and divided into three experimental groups: treated with antibiotic; Phyto-Bomat; antibiotic and Phyto-Bomat. Indicators of bacteriological cure were somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count, and causative agent isolation, while the clinical cure was accessed by observing physical udder conditions. All mentioned indicators were assessed before and after the treatment (1st and 7th day post-treatment), with all of the three therapeutic protocols. After Phyto-Bomat treatment, no visible signs of irritation were noticed, while no significant effect in reducing SCC and total bacterial count was observed. Phyto-Bomat has shown promising results in the treatment of mastitis, without the risk of udder irritation, alone or in combination with antibiotics as part of a mastitis control program during lactation.

Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the risk it represents to public health, and the possible consequences for animal health and welfare, there is an increasing focus on reducing antimicrobial usage (AMU) in animal husbandry. Therefore, a great interest in developing alternatives to AMU in livestock production is present worldwide. Recently, essential oils (EOs) have gained great attention as promising possibilities for the replacement of antibiotics. The current study aimed to test the potential of using a novel EO-based pharmaceutical formulation (Phyto-Bomat) in bovine mastitis treatment. The antibacterial activity was performed using the microdilution technique. Lactating dairy cows were treated with 15 mL of Phyto-Bomat in the inflamed quarter for 5 consecutive days in order to analyze blood and milk samples for thymol and carvacrol residues using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Antimicrobial activity expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) indicates that this formulation has the highest activity against Gram-positive strains. The dominant compounds in Phyto-Bomat were thymol and carvacrol, at 12.58 ± 1.23 mg/mL and 23.11 ± 2.31 mg/mL, respectively. The quantification of these two compounds in evaluated biological samples showed that 24 h after administration the concentration of thymol and carvacrol in milk samples was at the same level as before application. On the other hand, thymol and carvacrol were detectable in plasma samples even after 24 h post-treatment, with values ranging from 0.15–0.38 and 0.21–0.66 µg/mL, respectively. The tested formulation showed encouraging results of antibacterial activity against bovine mastitis pathogens, as well as the withdrawal period of dominant compounds, which implies that further testing regarding the bacteriological and clinical cure rates in clinical settings is needed.

The main subject of the research is the assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of veterinarians regarding the use of antibiotics (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a questionnaire conducted among veterinarians in the northern region of Serbia. A total of 62 respondents completed the questionnaire, which represents a response rate of 44.3%. Male veterinarians are less likely to be in the group of veterinarians with insufficient knowledge (p < 0.05). Veterinarians engaged in mixed practice (small and large animals) (p < 0.001) and veterinarians who have over 100 patients per month (p < 0.005) are also less likely to be in the group with insufficient knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. The proportion of those with insufficient knowledge is growing among veterinarians whose source is the Internet (p < 0.01), while the proportion of those with insufficient knowledge about antimicrobial resistance is declining among veterinarians whose source of information is continuous education (p < 0.05). The majority of the respondents (n = 59, 95.2%) completely agreed that AMR is a very big issue in the global health sector right now. Unfortunately, there are crucial gaps in the knowledge and attitudes of the surveyed participants. They do not appear to be aware of the importance of AMU in veterinary medicine and its influence on overall AMR, or the crucial part that non-prescribed antibiotics have in all of it. Positively, many veterinarians use good practice AMU guidelines in their everyday practice and in line with the global trend of AMU reduction, respondents have also decreased their AMU compared to the previous year.

Bovine mastitis is an important disease in the dairy industry responsi?ble for the welfare and significant economic losses in dairy cows. The treatment of choice for mastitis is the administration of antibiotics. However, this therapeutic choice has some disadvantages including presence of antibiotics residues in the milk, low cure rate as well as rapid increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Therefore, new alternative approaches to antibiotics were investigated by different groups of researchers in order to find an effective approach for bovine mastitis therapy. This review was conducted in order to analyze different publications on usage of essential oils in relation to bovine mastitis. There are many in vitro studies for evaluating the antimicrobial efficacy of essential oils against many mastitis associated pathogens. In addition, numerous of tested essential oils have shown good efficacy with a wide range of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs). On the other hand, only several in vivo studies have focused on therapeutic effects of essential oils. Moreover, recent studies indicate the possibility of using essential oils in the fight against biofilm which could be promising fight against bovine mastitis since unsuccessful antibiotic treatment can be associated with the presence of biofilms.

The study was conducted on a commercial pig farm located in Serbia. Thirty Duroc or Landrace breed boars were randomly selected for this study. The experimental group was fed a compound feed with added organic selenium and Oxynat 3D. The antioxidant status parameters of boar seminal plasma were evaluated using a biochemical analyzer and commercial Randox kits. The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) using flow cytometry (FC) provided information about spermatozoa’s DNA status. Additionally, the total number of motile spermatozoa and spermatozoa kinematic parameters were measured using the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. The aim of this study was to improve the parameters of semen by combining two preparations that have a potential antioxidant effect, but also to establish the level of various antioxidant enzymes in native sperm. There was no statistically significant difference in total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase activity in the seminal plasma obtained from the experimental and control groups of boars. Regarding the superoxide dismutase activity, the research results showed a difference in the control group compared to the experimental one. Moreover, spermatozoa DNA fragmentation and the total number of motile spermatozoa showed statistically significant lower and higher values, respectively, in experimental compared to the control groups. The combination of these two preparations shows significantly enhanced vital parameters of semen. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first in which the ejaculate parameters were examined after the application of a combination of these two antioxidant supplements.

Effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is crucial for combating the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly in veterinary medicine. Educational programs targeting veterinary students can play a significant role in shaping their knowledge and attitudes toward antimicrobial use and stewardship. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of educational programs on the knowledge and attitudes regarding AMS among veterinary students in Serbia. A structured educational program on AMS was implemented for veterinary students at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad. Pre- and post-symposium assessments were conducted to measure changes in students’ knowledge and attitudes. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and focus groups, to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The study resulted in significant short-term improvements in students’ knowledge of AMS principles and their attitudes toward responsible antimicrobial use. Participants demonstrated a better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance and the importance of adhering to stewardship guidelines. Qualitative feedback indicated increased awareness of the consequences of inappropriate antimicrobial use and a stronger commitment to applying stewardship practices in their future careers. The educational programs effectively enhanced immediate veterinary students’ knowledge and attitudes regarding AMS. These findings underscore the importance of integrating targeted educational programs into veterinary curricula to promote responsible antimicrobial use and combat resistance in veterinary practice.