Risk factors for bulk milk somatic cell counts and total bacterial counts in smallholder dairy farms in the 10th region of Chile

We evaluated milk quality during the sheep dairy period in the year 2018. The study was performed at fifteen dairy farms with differed breeds and crossbreds under Slovakian usual practical conditions (milking and pasture). At the first and seventh farm purebred Tsigai (TS) ewes were kept, at the eight to twelve farm there were purebred Lacaune ewes (LC) and the thirteen farm were kept crossbred Improved Valachian x Lacaune ewes (IV/LC, with a higher proportion of Improved Valachian), the fourteen farm crossbred Lacaune x East Friesian ewes and the last farm were ewes of the synthetic population of Slovak dairy ewe (SD). The milk yield recording and milk sampling were performed once a month during evening milking as a part of milk recording services. The basic milk composition was determined by MilkoScan FT120 (Foss, Hillerød, Denmark) and somatic cell count was determined using a Fossomatic 90 (Foss Electric, Hillerød, Denmark) after heat treatment at 40 °C for 15 min. We found the highest incidence of SCC on farm 14 with crossbred LC/EF 3.940 x 103 cells.mL-1. Followed by farms 12 and 9 with purebred LC (SCC value of 3.318 and 2.489 x 103 cells.mL-1). Farm 7 with purebred TS reached the lowest value (831 x 103 cells.mL-1). The highest fat content was reached by the purebred TS, with gradual growth from March to July. Crossbreds and the synthetic population of Slovak dairy ewe (SD) had the lowest average fat content, which could be affected by feeding. Similar tendencies were found in protein content.

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Farm Inspection Scores and Milk Quality Criteria as Indices of Salmonella in Bulk Milk

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-51.12.958 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 51 (12) ◽

pp. 958-962 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

SCOTT A. McEWEN ◽

LAWRENCE H. McCLURE ◽

S. WAYNE MARTIN

Keyword(s):

Somatic Cell ◽

Quality Criteria ◽

High Standard ◽

Dairy Farms ◽

Somatic Cell Counts ◽

Cell Counts ◽

Bulk Milk ◽

Standard Plate ◽

Plate Counts ◽

And Control

The scores from routine dairy farm inspections, bulk milk standard plate bacteria counts, and somatic cell counts from dairy farms with Salmonella-positive milk filters (cases) were compared with those from dairy farms with Salmonella-negative milk filters (controls). Case and control farms showed no significant differences in their inspection scores based on general surroundings of the farm, milking area and cleanliness of milking cows, but differed in the higher mean score for milk houses of case farms. Additionally, there were no differences in the standard plate counts or somatic cell counts between case and control farms. Based on the results of this study, there is no evidence that poor dairy inspection scores, high standard plate counts or high somatic cell counts are useful indicators of the presence of Salmonella in bulk milk supplies from dairy farms.

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Risk factors for high bulk milk somatic cell counts in dairy herds from Campos das Vertentes region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: a case-control study

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1678-5150-pvb-5826 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 39 (8) ◽

pp. 606-613

Author(s):

Geraldo M. Costa ◽

Alan A. Mesquita ◽

Christiane M.B.M. Rocha ◽

Fabio R.P. Bruhn ◽

Rafaella S. Andrade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Somatic Cell ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Dairy Herds ◽

Somatic Cell Counts ◽

Cell Counts ◽

Bulk Milk ◽

Minas Gerais State ◽

High Bulk ◽

Control Study

ABSTRACT: High bulk milk somatic cell counts (BMSCC) are indicative of failures related to the control of mastitis in the herd, which compromises the quality of the milk and generates great losses for the producers and for the industry. A case-control study was carried out in dairy herds in the Campos das Vertentes region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in order to contribute to the knowledge of the risk factors involved with elevated BMSCC. The study involved 46 dairy herds, of which 30 were considered cases (BMSCC ≥700,000 cells/mL of milk) and 16 control farms (BMSCC ≤200,000 cells/mL of milk). Sixteen qualitative variables and four quantitative variables were analyzed. The results showed that the risk factors for BMSCC ≥700,000 cells/mL were the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae pathogens in bulk milk, non-use of pre and post-dipping, non-use of disposable paper towel for drying of mammary glands, non-monitoring of mastitis in the herd by means of California Mastitis Test (CMT) or individual somatic cell counts (SCC), non-implementation of the milking line and therapy of dry cows and failures in hygiene of teats and udders before milking. Moderate correlations were also observed between the elevation of BMSCC and counts of S. aureus and BMSCC and counts S. agalactiae in bulk milk, and a moderate correlation between S. aureus and S. agalactiae counts in bulk milk. Failures with regard to the maintenance and use of milking equipment, including manual pressure application in milking assemblies, unregulated milking vacuum pressure, and vacuum loss during milking, and maintenance failures of the milking machine and bulk milk tank were also pointed out as important risk factors of BMSCC elevation. The results of this study provided subsidies for the elaboration of more effective programs for mastitis control and improvement of raw milk quality, reducing the losses caused by the disease to producers and industry.

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Extensive Countrywide Field Investigation of Somatic Cell Counts and Total Bacterial Counts in Bulk-Tank Raw Milk in Sheep Flocks in Greece

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10020268 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 268

Author(s):

Daphne T. Lianou ◽

Charalambia K. Michael ◽

Natalia G. C. Vasileiou ◽

Efthymia Petinaki ◽

Peter J. Cripps ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Somatic Cell ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

Cell Counting ◽

Lactation Period ◽

Mechanical Ventilators ◽

Bulk Tank Milk ◽

Bacterial Counts ◽

Somatic Cell Counts ◽

Cell Counts ◽

Bulk Tank

Objectives were to investigate somatic cell counts (SCC) and total bacterial counts (TBC) in the raw bulk-tank milk of sheep flocks in Greece, to study factors potentially influencing increased SCC and TBC in the bulk-tank milk of sheep and to evaluate possible associations of SCC and TBC with milk content. Throughout Greece, 325 dairy sheep flocks were visited for collection of milk sampling for somatic cell counting, microbiological examination and composition measurement. Geometric mean SCC were 0.488 × 106 cells mL−1; geometric mean TBC were 398 × 103 cfu mL−1; 228 staphylococcal isolates were recovered form 206 flocks (63.4%). Multivariable analyses revealed annual incidence risk of clinical mastitis, age of the farmer and month into lactation period (among 53 variables) to be significant for SCC > 1.0 × 106 cells mL−1 and month into lactation period at sampling and availability of mechanical ventilators (among 58 variables) to be significant for TBC > 1500 × 103 cfu mL−1. Negative correlation of SCC with fat, total protein and lactose and positive correlation of SCC with added water were found. With SCC > 1.0 × 106 cells mL−1, significant reduction of protein content (2%) was observed, whilst in flocks with SCC > 1.5 × 106 cells mL−1, significantly lower annual milk production per ewe (42.9%) was recorded.

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