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Poster 3.39. Mastitis Diagnosis in Dairy Goats through Somatic

Cell Counts and California mastitis test. Preliminary ResultsA. Mendonc;al, R. Valentiml, M. A. Nunes2, T. Correial, M. Trigo, R Maurfciol, C. Costal, A.

Coelhol

1 Departamento de Zootecnia, ESAB, Apartado 172, 5301Braganc;a, Portugal, ; 2 DRATM, Rua daRepublica, 5370 Mirandela, Portugal

AbstractThe aim of this work was to evaluate somatic cell count (SCC) and Californian mastitis test(CMT) reliability as methods to survey mastitis in Serrana goats. Microbiological diagnosis, SCCand CTM were performed on 2028 samples, collected from individual goat glands during a lac-tation period. According to results CMT (predictive negative value = 69.5%) may be used as acheap and practical method for sub clinical mastitis survey in Serrana goats. Decision on SCCuse will depend on additional research works, since its values were very high even for bacterio-logical negative samples.

1 IntroductionThe use of indirect methodologies for sub clinical mastitis survey, as CMT and SCC, needs previ-

ous study of its applicability in each breed. Several authors propose different thresholds for the

use of SCC in predicting intramammary infections (1,2,3). The aim of this study was to evaluate

the use of these methods in order to achieve an efficient and quick survey of sub clinical mastitis

in Serrana goats, a local breed from the north of Portugal.

2 Material and methodsWe collected 2028 samples from two Serrana goat flocks. Milk samples were collected asepti-

cally from each half udder for one lactation period. Each one of all samples was processed for

somatic cell count (Foss electronic, Denmark), CMT and bacteriological diagnosis of sub clinical

mastitis (total recount at 30oC, CFU > 500 ml-1 milk) ..

Table 1. Relationship between CMT and SCc.

Microbiological diagnosisSCC ( X ±sd) xl03

Negative 1270" ± 2408Positive 1823b ± 2882

a*b, for P:O;O.OO1.

Table 2. Relationship between CMT and SCC.

-CMT

SCC (X ±sd) (x 103 SC ml-l)

0 636" ± 12321 1846b ± 1984

2 4035< ± 3225

3 8185d ± 4857

a*b*c*d, for P:O;O.Ol

3 Results and discussionThe relationships between bacteriological diagnosis x SCC and CMT x SCC are presented on

tables 1 and 2, respectively. Negative and positive bacteriological diagnoses were related to

different SCC mean values (P:::;O.OOl).Similar results were found between CMT scores and SCC

mean values (P:::;O.Ol). In both cases standard deviations were very high. SCC, as CMT, are

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similar to others authors results (1,3,4). The negative predictive value (CMT score 0) was lowerthan the one reported by these authors (69.5% vs. > 75%), although the positive predictivevalue (CMT score;::: 1) was similar (39.0% vs. < 35%). Mean SCC on bacteriological ne~ativessamples were higher than those reported by other researchers (1) « 500 x 103 SC ml- ), and(2) (750 x 103 SC ml-1).

4 ConclusionAccording to the results CMT may be used as a cheap and practical method for sub clinical mas-titis survey in Serrana goats. The use of SCC for the same purpose will depend on additionalresearch, namely on individual analysis of several animals during several lactation periods.

References1 CONTRERAS,A., SIERRA,D., CORRALES,J.c., SANCHEZ,A. E MARCO,J., 1996. Physiological thresholdof somatic cell count and California mastitis test for diagnosis of caprine subclinical mastitis.Small Ruminant Research, 21, 259-264.

2 DECREMOUX,R., POUTREL,B., PILLET,R., PERRIN,G., DUCELLIEZM. ANDHEUCHEL,V., 1996. Utilisation desnumerations cellulaires pour Ie diagnostic des infections mammaires d'origine bacteriennechez la chevre. In: Proceedings of the Symposium on somatic cells and milk of small rumi-nants. Bella, Italy. EAAP Publication, 77, 35-39.

3 DECREMOUX,R. ANDPOUTREL,B., 2000. Somatic cell counts in goat milk: a tool in presumptive di-agnosis of intramamary infections. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Goats,France, 757-759 pp ..

4 PERRIN,G. & BAUDRY,C 1993. Numerations cellulaires du lait de chevre. Lait, 73,489-497.

Poster 3.40. Physiological threshold of somatic cell count in di-agnosis of subclinical mastitis of Paska sheepN A 1 D S v .. 1 B M' v2 M P . 3 \I P "2 Z B. '4. ntunac, . amarzlJa, . IOC, . eClna, v. aVlc, . arac1 Dept. of Dairy Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia; 2 Dept. of Animal Science, Facultyof Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia; 3 Dept. of Plant Breeding, Genetic and Biometrics, Faculty of Agricul-

ture, Zagreb, Croatia; 4 Croatian Livestock Center, Zagreb, Croatia

AbstractOver a two year period, 1704 samples of half udder milk of 213 Paska sheep from three herds,

were collected monthly throughout lactation to estimate if 700x103 somatic cells/mL could be

the threshold value for healthy sheep. The influence of herds, stage and number of lactation on

somatic cell count (SCC) was included. The estimated mean value for SCC was 143,4x103/mL.

Only 7,74% (n=58) samples were >700x103 SCC/mL. Regarding the causative organism, 12

samples were positive to Staphylococcus aureus, 14 to Micrococcus spp., 4 to both Staphylococ-cus aureus and Micrococcus spp. and 1 to Streptococcus "D'~ respectively. Therefore, threshold

value in diagnosis of subclinical mastis could be 700 x103/mL.

1 IntroductionSomatic cells in sheep milk are characterised by great variability. On the other hand increasedSCC is associated with an inflammation of the mammary gland as well as with reduced suitabil-ity of the milk for manufacturing and also affects products quality. This seems to be very true incheese production. The total milk production of Paska sheep is processing to hard Paski cheese.No research on SCC has been performed on Paska sheep. Therefore, this study was of interestboth 1) to estimate the upper level of somatic cells for detection of subclinical mastitis and 2)to evaluate mean SCC for normal milk of Paska sheep.

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