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Evaluation of milk somatic cell count as an indicator of mastitis occurrence in Gyr cows

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Author(s):
Carolina Barbosa Malek dos Reis
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Master's Dissertation
Press: Pirassununga.
Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD)
Defense date:
Examining board members:
Marcos Veiga dos Santos; Hélio Langoni; Marco Aurélio de Felício Porcionato
Advisor: Marcos Veiga dos Santos
Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the sensibility and specificity of somatic cell count (SCC) threshold in Gyr cows to diagnosis the subclinical mastitis caused by primary and secondary pathogens, and to evaluate the effect of herd, cows, month, mammary quarter, intramammary infection, type of microorganism and their interactions on logSCC and milk composition. The hypothesis to be tested was that the SCC threshold to detection of subclinical mastitis is the same for Holstein and Gir cows. A total of 221 lactation Gir cows from three commercial dairy farms was selected. Composed and quarter individual milk samples were collected once a month, during one year for SCC, milk composition and bacteriological analysis. The mammary quarter and the cow were considered experimental units. To determine the sensibility, specificity and odds ratio (OR) from SCC threshold to identify the infected quarters four values of SCC: 100, 200, 300 and 400 (x 103 cells/mL) were used. It was also evaluated the correlation between SCC and milk composition. There was no effect of herd on logSCC in individuals and composed samples, but cow nested within herd was major factor responsible for the logSCC variation. The month of sampling presented significant effect on logSCC and milk composition in both experimental units. The intramammary infection presence affected negatively the milk composition, except of fat concentration. Higher lactose, protein and non-fat solids (NFS) percentages were found in negative samples and higher logSCC were observed in infected samples. The SCC threshold of 100 x 103 cells/mL presented the major sensibility and negative predictive value for subclinical mastitis detection. The threshold of 200 x 103 cells/mL had higher chance to have mastitis than the threshold of 100 x 103 cells/mL. It was observed a negative correlation between SCC with lactose and NFS; but the correlation was positive between SCC with fat and protein in mammary quarters and cow level. Milk composition was influenced by SCC, once the lactose and NFS percentages decreased in samples with high SCC and the protein and fat concentration increased. (AU)