Bìol. Tvarin, 2019, volume 21, issue 2, pp. 25–28

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOMATIC CELL COUNT AND OCCURRENCE OF INTRAMAMMARY PATHOGENS IN DAIRY COWS

V. Hisira, R. Klein, M. Kadaši, J. Pošivák

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Clinic of ruminants,
Komenského 73, Košice, 04181, Slovak Republic

The goal of this observation was to evaluate relationship between somatic cell count and intramammary pathogens occurrence in milk of dairy cows.

Somatic cell counting was performed by new on-farm commercial device Deleval Cell Counter (DCC) and laboratory Fossomatic cell counting (FSCC). 100 sensoric unchanged mixed milk samples collected during milking time on dairy farm were analysed in this study for detection of somatic cell count by both methods. Quarter milk samples (n=389) of all selected cows were cultured.

Increased somatic cell count was detected in 46 mixed milk samples by DCC and in 58 by FSCC. Of total quarter milk samples bacteria were determined in 76 (19.5 %). The most prevalent bacteria were Enterococcus spp. (26.3 %), followed by E. coli (25 %), A. viridans (15.7 %), coagulase-negative staphylococci (11.8 %), Proteus spp. (9.2 %), Streptococcus spp. (6.6 %) and S. intermedius (2.6 %). Contagious isolates (S. aureus) were detected in 3 quarter milk samples (4 %). Agreement between DCC and microbiological culture was found in 90 %, and between FSCC and bacteriological incidence in 84 %.

Higher SCC was detected in milk samples contaminated by bacteria than in healthy milk (P<0.001). Presence of individual species of intramammary pathogens was not related to different levels of SCC. 

The presented data illustrated that bacteria are predominant causes of subclinical mastitis. However, in some milk samples with increased SCC no bacteria were detected. This means that it could have been caused by numerous other agents or factors for mastitis in dairy industry.

Keywords: BACTERIA, COWS, SOMATIC CELL COUNT

  1. Dorp van R. T. E., Martin S. W., Shoukri M. M., Noordhuizen J. P., Dekkers J. C. An epidemiologic study of disease in 32 registered Holstein dairy herds in British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, 1999, vol. 63, issue 3, pp. 185–192.
  2. Djabri B., Bareille N., Beaudeau F., Seegers H. Quarter milk somatic cell count in infected dairy cows: a meta-analysis. Veterinary Research, 2002, vol. 33, issue 4, pp. 335–357. https://doi.org/10.1051/vetres:2002021
  3. Júnior F. J. E. L., Lange C. C., Brito M. A. V. P., Santos F. R., Silva M. A. S., Moraes de L. C. D., Souza de G. N. Relationship between total bacterial counts and somatic cell counts from mammary quarters infected by mastitis pathogens. Ciência Rural, 2012, vol. 42, issue 4, pp. 691–696. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782012000400019
  4. Malinowski E., Lassa H., Kłossowska A., Markiewicz H., Kaczmarowski M., Smulski S. Relationship between mastitis agents and somatic cell count in foremilk samples. Bulletin of Veterinary Institute in Puławy, 2006, vol. 50, pp. 349–352. Available at: http://www.piwet.pulawy.pl/bulletin/images/stories/pdf/20063/20063349352.pdf
  5. Nayan V., Bhardwaj A. Mastitis in buffalo: Risk factors. Available at: http://www.buffalopedia.cirb.res.in/2014
  6. Nickerson S. C., Boddie R. L. Effect of naturally occurring coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections on experimental challenge with major mastitis pathogens. Journal of Dairy Science, 1994, vol. 77, issue 9, pp. 2526–2536. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(94)77194-0
  7. Nyman A.-K., Ekman T., Emanuelson U., Gustaffson A. H., Holtenius K., Waller K. P., Sandgren C. H. Risk factors associated with the incidence of veterinary-treated clinical mastitis in Swedish dairy herds with a high milk yield and a low prevalence of subclinical mastitis. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2007, vol. 78, issue 2, pp. 142–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2006.10.002
  8. Peeler E. J., Green M. J., Fitzpatrick J. L., Morgan K. L., Green L. E. Risk factors associated with clinical mastitis in low somatic cell count British dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science, 2000, vol. 83, issue 11, pp. 2464–2472. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(00)75138-1
  9. Petzer I. M., Karzis J., Donkin E. F., Webb E. C., Etter E. M. C. Validity of somatic cell count as indicator of pathogen-specific intramammary infections. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 2017, vol. 88, 10 p. https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v88i0.1465
  10. Sharma N., Singh N. K., Bhadwal M. S. Relationship of somatic cell count and mastitis: An overview. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 2011, vol. 24, issue 3, pp. 429–438. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2011.10233
  11. Sun M., Gao J., Ali T., Yu D., Zhang S., Khan S. U., Fanning S., Han B. Characteristics of Aerococcus viridansisolated from bovine subclinical mastitis and its effect on milk SCC, yield, and composition. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2017, vol. 49, issue 4, pp. 843–849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1271-2
  12. Valde J. P., Lystad M. L., Simensen E., Østerås O. Comparison of feeding management and body condition of dairy cows in herds with low and high mastitis rates. Journal of Dairy Science, 2007, vol. 90, issue 9, pp. 4317–4324. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2007-0129

Download full text in PDF

Search