scholarly journals Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 697-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Bobbo ◽  
Mauro Penasa ◽  
Martino Cassandro
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Udder Health

Evaluation of the udder health status in subclinical mastitis affected dairy cows through bacteriological culture, somatic cell count and thermographic imaging

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 799-805 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bortolami ◽  
E. Fiore ◽  
M. Gianesella ◽  
M. Corrò ◽  
S. Catania ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Subclinical Mastitis ◽  
Bacteriological Culture ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Streptococcus Uberis ◽  
Thermographic Imaging

Abstract Subclinical mastitis in dairy cows is a big economic loss for farmers. The monitoring of subclinical mastitis is usually performed through Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in farm but there is the need of new diagnostic systems able to quickly identify cows affected by subclinical infections of the udder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential application of thermographic imaging compared to SCC and bacteriological culture for infection detection in cow affected by subclinical mastitis and possibly to discriminate between different pathogens. In this study we evaluated the udder health status of 98 Holstein Friesian dairy cows with high SCC in 4 farms. From each cow a sample of milk was collected from all the functional quarters and submitted to bacteriological culture, SCC and Mycoplasma spp. culture. A thermographic image was taken from each functional udder quarter and nipple. Pearson’s correlations and Analysis of Variance were performed in order to evaluate the different diagnostic techniques. The most frequent pathogen isolated was Staphylococcus aureus followed by Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS), Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae and others. The Somatic Cell Score (SCS) was able to discriminate (p<0.05) cows positive for a pathogen from cows negative at the bacteriological culture except for cows with infection caused by CNS. Infrared thermography was correlated to SCS (p<0.05) but was not able to discriminate between positive and negative cows. Thermographic imaging seems to be promising in evaluating the inflammation status of cows affected by subclinical mastitis but seems to have a poor diagnostic value.

scholarly journals Changes in somatic cell count of goat milk associated with udder health status

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 01-03
Author(s):  
MC Lallianchhunga ◽  
M Ayub Ali ◽  
K Lalrintluanga ◽  
Lallawmzuali Ralte ◽  
H Lalrinkima
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Goat Milk ◽  
Udder Health

scholarly journals Short communication: The main factors affecting somatic cell count in organic dairy farming

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. e06SC02
Author(s):  
Inmaculada Orjales ◽  
Marta Lopez-Alonso ◽  
Marta Miranda ◽  
Ruth Rodríguez-Bermúdez ◽  
Francisco Rey-Crespo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Dry Cow Therapy ◽  
Teat Dipping

Preventive management practices are essential for maintaining acceptable udder health status, especially in organic farming, in which the use of antimicrobials is restricted. The contribution of the following factors to somatic cell count (SCC) was assessed in 788 cows from 15 organically reared herds in northern Spain: milk production, lactation number, treatments applied, selective dry cow therapy and teat dipping routines. The data were examined by linear logistic regression. Lactation number was the main factor affecting logSCC (β= 0.339, p<0.001) followed in order of importance by milk production (β= -0.205, p<0.001), use of alternative treatments (β=0.153, p<0.001), selective dry cow therapy (β=0.120, p=0.005) and teat dipping routines (β=-0.076, p=0.028). However, the model only explained 17.0% of the total variation in SCC. This variable depends on factors other than those considered here, amongst which udder infection is probably one of the most important. Nonetheless, the study findings enabled us to determine the contribution of the main management factors that should be taken into account to improve udder health status on organic farms.

Mastitis vaccination using a commercial polyvalent vaccine or a herd-specific Staphylococcus aureus vaccine

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (04) ◽  
pp. 219-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Hamedy ◽  
Oliver Passarge ◽  
Axel Sobiraj ◽  
Markus Freick ◽  
Yvonne Frank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Clinical Mastitis ◽  
Health State ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Milk Samples ◽  
Cell Counts

Summary Objective of this study was the improvement of selected parameters of udder health by mastitis vaccination in a dairy herd with elevated bulk milk somatic cell counts and Staphylococcus (S.) aureus as predominant mastitis causing pathogen. Material and methods: On a dairy farm, pregnant heifers (status group [SG] 1; n = 181) as well as cows stratified for their udder health state (classification based on results of cytobacteriological investigations of quarter milk samples obtained before dry cow therapy [MS0]) (SG 2–4; n = 416) were randomly assigned to one of the following vaccination groups (VG): Startvac® (VG SV), Bestvac® Rind Mastitis (containing herd-specific S. aureus-strains; VG BV) and the unvaccinated control (VG Co, placebo), respectively. The collected data (5 [MS5] and 52 [MS52] days in milk [DIM]: quarter milk somatic cell count [QSCC] and bacteriological investigation of quarter milk samples; dairy herd improvement test [DHIT] days 1–10: milk yield and individual cow somatic cell count; until 305 DIM: clinical mastitis cases) were compared between the VG within their SG. Results: S. aureus prevalences were significantly lower in VG SV (p < 0.001) and VG BV (p = 0.006) within SG 3 and in VG SV (p = 0.008) within SG 4, respectively, in comparison to VG Co. Milk yields (DHIT days [p = 0.042] and 305-day milk yield [p = 0.040]) were significantly less in VG SV within SG 4 compared to VG Co. Significant different changes over time in comparison to VG Co indicating a vaccine effect during lactation were only observed for QSCC within SG 4 for VG BV (p = 0.017; increase towards MS52) and for S. aureus prevalence within SG 3 for VG BV (p < 0.001; opposing trends from MS0 towards MS52). All other interactions of time and VG under investigation were not significant in any of the SG. Furthermore, there were no descriptive differences in the incidence of clinical mastitis and duration of a necessary mastitis therapy, respectively, between the VG within their SG. Conclusion: In this field study, the application of two different mastitis vaccines was not an appropriate tool to improve the considered parameters of udder health sustainably.

scholarly journals Association between Udder and Quarter Level Indicators and Milk Somatic Cell Count in Automatic Milking Systems

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3485
Author(s):  
Maddalena Zucali ◽  
Luciana Bava ◽  
Alberto Tamburini ◽  
Giulia Gislon ◽  
Anna Sandrucci
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Milk Flow ◽  
Automatic Milking ◽  
Automatic Milking Systems ◽  
Over Time

Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) record a lot of information, at udder and quarter level, which can be useful for improving the early detection of altered udder health conditions. A total of 752,000 records from 1003 lactating cows milked with two types of AMS in four farms were processed with the aim of identifying new indicators, starting from the variables provided by the AMS, useful to predict the risk of high milk somatic cell count (SCC). Considering the temporal pattern, the quarter vs. udder percentage difference in milk electrical conductivity showed an increase in the fourteen days preceding an official milk control higher than 300,000 SCC/mL. Similarly, deviations over time in quarter vs. udder milk yield, average milk flow, and milking time emerged as potential indicators for high SCC. The Logistic Analysis showed that Milk Production Rate (kg/h) and the within-cow within-milking percentage variations of single quarter vs. udder milk electrical conductivity, milk yield, and average milk flow are all risk factors for high milk SCC. The result suggests that these variables, alone or in combination, and their progression over time could be used to improve the early prediction of risk situations for udder health in AMS milked herds.

The effects of quarter-individual milking in conventional milking parlours on the somatic cell count and udder health of dairy cows

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anika B Müller ◽  
Sandra Rose-Meierhöfer ◽  
Christian Ammon ◽  
Reiner Brunsch
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Trial Period ◽  
Vacuum Level ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Air Inlet

The objective of this study was to examine the quarter health status of quarter-individually and conventionally milked cows. The MultiLactor®, a quarter-individual milking system (MULTI), has single guided tubes which provide milking on the quarter level with a low system vacuum level (37 kPa), sequential pulsation and periodic air inlet. The conventional milking system (CON) was equipped with a milking cluster where the system vacuum level was adjusted to 40 kPa. A total of 84 German Holstein cows, randomly divided into two groups, were included in the study. Over a period of 32 trial weeks, quarter foremilk samples were taken every week to determine somatic cell count (SCC). Bacteriological examinations and udder palpation were conducted at three different times. During the trial period, median SCC of quarter foremilk samples in both groups did not exceed the threshold value of 100 000 cells/ml. The results of the F test showed that the milking system (P = 0·0587) and days in milk (DIM) (P = 0·8066) had no significant effects on the quarter health status. On the other hand, lactation (P = 0·0396), quarter health status in the previous week (P < 0·0001) and trial week (P = 0·0061) affected quarter health status significantly. The estimated probabilities of the occurrence of a suspicious quarter (SCC > 100 000 cells/ml) were 19·97% (CON) and 31·72% (MULTI). However, the test of differences in the Least Square Means (LSM) showed no significant differences (P = 0·0585) between CON and MULTI. The estimated probability of quarters becoming suspicious during the first lactation was 12·51% for both groups. With an increasing number of lactation, the probability of a quarter becoming suspicious clearly increased (2nd lactation: 32·73% and 3rd lactation: 36·19%). The results also showed that the percentage of quarters with bacteriological findings revealed a stronger increase over time for MULTI than for CON.

scholarly journals The milkability and somatic cell counts of milk cows in various systems of keeping and milking

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (5-6-1) ◽  
pp. 209-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Mijic ◽  
I. Knezevic ◽  
M. Matkovic ◽  
M. Baban ◽  
Z. Ivkic
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Somatic Cell Count ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Somatic Cell Counts ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Milk Cows

A high milk production, time limited milking and healthy udders are priority tasks at milking farms. The aim of our research was to study how different ways of keeping (free rang and tying) and milking (milking parlour, bucket machine and pipeline milking) influence on the mentioned cattle characteristics. Investigation was conducted at four milking farms and 382 Holstein cows in eastern Croatia. The variance analysis has shown significant difference (P<0,05) among researched farms for the milk yield per milking (MYM), the somatic cell count (LSCC) and the maximum milk flowing rate (MFR). Farms at which cows were kept and milked bound up in stables had more problems with udder health than farms at which milking was conducted at milking places. Also at these farms (at which cows were kept and milked bound up in stables) the maximum milk flowing rate was uneven, what was caused by uneven vacuum and obsoletes milking equipment. Keeping cows free at the stable and milking at a milking place have appeared to be more appropriate for cow?s udder health, what finally influences a higher milking production. Such farms should be the future of modern milking production in Croatia.

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