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Genetic improvement of udder health in dairy cows is of high relevance as mastitis is one of the most prevalent diseases. Since it is known that the heritability of mastitis is low and direct data on mastitis cases are often not available in large numbers, auxiliary traits, such as somatic cell count (SCC) are used for the genetic evaluation of udder health. In previous studies, models to predict clinical mastitis based on mid‐infrared (MIR) spectral data and a somatic cell count‐derived score (SCS) were developed. Those models can provide a probability of mastitis for each cow at every test‐day, which is potentially useful as an additional auxiliary trait for the genetic evaluation of udder health. Furthermore, MIR spectral data were used to estimate contents of lactoferrin, a glycoprotein positively associated with immune response. The present study aimed to estimate heritabilities (h2) and genetic correlations (ra) for clinical mastitis diagnosis (CM), SCS, MIR‐predicted mastitis probability (MIRprob), MIR + SCS‐predicted mastitis probability (MIRSCSprob) and lactoferrin estimates (LF). Data for this study were collected within the routine milk recording and health monitoring system of Austria from 2014 to 2021 and included records of approximately 54,000 Fleckvieh cows. Analyses were performed in two datasets, including test‐day records from 5 to 150 or 5 to 305 days in milk. Prediction models were applied to obtain MIR‐ and SCS‐based phenotypes (MIRprob, MIRSCSprob, LF). To estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations bivariate linear animal models were applied for all traits. A lactation model was used for CM, defined as a binary trait, and a test‐day model for all other continuous traits. In addition to the random animal genetic effect, the fixed effects year‐season of calving and parity‐age at calving and the random permanent environmental effect were considered in all models. For CM the random herd‐year effect, for continuous traits the random herd‐test day effect and the covariate days in milk (linear and quadratic) were additionally fitted. The obtained genetic parameters were similar in both datasets. The heritability found for CM was expectedly low (h2 = 0.02). For SCS and MIRSCSprob, heritability estimates ranged from 0.23 to 0.25, and for MIRprob and LF from 0.15 to 0.17. CM was highly correlated with SCS and MIRSCSprob (ra = 0.85 to 0.88). Genetic correlations of CM were moderate with MIRprob (ra = 0.26 and 0.37) during 150 and 305 days in milk, respectively and low with LF (h2 = 0.10 and 0.11). However, basic selection index calculations indicate that the added value of the new MIR‐predicted phenotypes is limited for genetic evaluation of udder health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Livestock farmers face financial losses every year because milk yield and components are severely affected by udder diseases. These udder infections attract the immune response from the host and lead to the influx of neutrophils into milk to fight infection and thus the number of somatic cell count (SCC) is increased. The SCC value of milk could be used as an important indicator in detecting clinical mastitis in dairy animals. Also, the milk yield and milk quality (e.g. fat) are negatively affected by the increased SCC. The SCC is used to estimate the somatic cell score (SCS)of the milk, which is used as an indirect measure to detect subclinical mastitis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of a significant SNP rs868996547, on the suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 gene (SOCS2) which is related to milk yield and milk quality in Awassi sheep. Methods: In this study, milk production data was obtained from 210 healthy Awassi ewes with different parties and ages. The general linear model (GLM) process analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine fixed effects on milk traits. The DNA extraction was done using a blood DNA extraction kit from Qiagen. To validate the presence of SNP a customized SNP detection developed by Thermofisher Scientific was used. The presence of the SNP in the SOCS2 gene was detected with genotypes (C/T, T/T, and C/C) and T being the mutated allele and it had a significant (p < 0.015) effect on the milk yield (p < 0,015;0.091), fat (p < 0,001;0,003), fat/protein ratio (p < 0.001;0,037) and log10SCC value (p < 0,006;0,015) of Awassi ewes. However, the protein, total solid, and lactose percentages in the wild type and the mutated ewes found having no significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our result showed the increase in SCC or SCS of the milk significantly affected the milk yield and composition. Parity and age had significant effects on ewes' milk yield (p < 0.001). In conclusion, we investigated the presence of SOCS2 gene of Awassi ewes in the study flock and its effect on milk yield, fat, and somatic cell count, and the change in milk composition and milk yield because of SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good hygienic milking practices including the disinfection of the cow teat skin before and after milking aimed at preventing the occurrence of new intramammary infections (IMI) in dairy cows. This practice is generally performed using disinfectants, and in the current context of attention to the emergence of resistances, it is of greatest interest to evaluate alternative solutions that can expand treatment options. We assessed the efficacy of a pre-dipping and a post-dipping product based on the bacteriocin-containing culture of Lactococcus cremoris strain FT27, as compared to commercial disinfectants. FT27 was selected for the bactericidal activity in vitro against food pathogens. In the present study, it also revealed a high bactericidal activity against the main mastitis pathogens, most likely related to Nisin A production, according to genomic and proteomic analysis. The lactococcus-based preparations were applied in two commercial dairy farms in Northern Italy. Overall, 298 dairy cows were enrolled, 141 in the treated group (TR), and 157 in the control group (CTR). The cows were sampled at quarter level every two weeks for 3 months. During the trial, all cows showed a good health status. The hygiene level for udder, flanks and legs was generally good (on average < 3 score); the udder hygiene was significantly worse (P < 0.01) in the CTR group. The teat apex hyperkeratosis was overall low (on average < 2 score). We recorded no significant differences between the two experimental groups in the Somatic Cell Count (SCC) values and the bacteriological results. The overall frequency of new IMI was low, ranging 0.6 − 0.5% for S. aureus in the TR or CTR group respectively, to 2.6–4.4% for NASM. Regarding Str. spp., the new IMI accounted for 1.7% or 1.9% in the TR or CTR group, respectively. Notably, the incidence of S. aureus new IMI did not increase during the study, even though neither of the two herds segregated the positive cows. The non-inferiority test showed that the Lactococcus-based pre- and post-dipping products had an efficacy comparable to proven commercial disinfectants in maintaining udder health and preventing new IMI, thus representing a possible alternative to current teat dip products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mastitis is a major issue in dairy farming, leading to significant economic losses and poor milk quality. This study aimed to find genetic markers associated with resistance to mastitis by analyzing the somatic cell score (SCS) in Slovenian Holstein Friesian cows. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on genotypic and phenotypic data of dairy cows from a single farm in Slovenia. The study identified five significant genetic markers associated with somatic cell score. These markers were close to six already known candidate genes. The findings suggest that these genetic markers could be used in breeding programs to improve mastitis resistance in dairy cows, potentially leading to healthier herds and better milk production. Mastitis is a serious challenge for the dairy industry, leading to economic losses and affecting milk quality. The aim of this study is to identify genetic factors associated with mastitis resistance by conducting a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the somatic cell score (SCS). Phenotypic records of 350 Holstein Friesian cows were obtained from the Slovenian Cattle Recording Scheme Database and consisted of around 1500 lactation data from 2012 to 2023 collected on a single farm in Slovenia. Corresponding genotypic data were also retrieved from the same database and genotyped using the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip (Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). For the association study, three SCS parameters were considered, including lactation mean somatic cell score (LM_SCS), maximum SCS value (SCSMAX), and top three mean value of SCS (TOP3). After performing a GWAS using FarmCPU and BLINK models, five significant SNPs associated with the TOP3 trait were found on BTA 14, 15, 22, and 29. The identified SNP markers were closely linked to six known candidate genes (DNASE1L3, SLC36A4, ARMC1, PDE7A, MMP13, CD44). These results indicate potential genetic markers associated with SCS in the Slovenian Holstein Friesian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The somatic cell count (SCC) refers to the number of somatic cells present in each milliliter of raw milk and serves as a crucial indicator of dairy cow udder health and raw milk quality. Traditional SCC detection methods are often time-consuming, expensive, and susceptible to bacterial interference, rendering them unsuitable for the rapid and unbiased assessment of raw milk quality. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a low-cost, accurate, and user-friendly SCC quantification method. Here, a method based on an OPD-Cu2+ system for SCC quantification was developed. It was found that OPD oxidation signals exhibited a linear correlation with SCC. Following optimization, the detection system was established with a Cu2+ concentration of 25 μM, an OPD concentration of 2 mM, and an incubation time of 15 min. Furthermore, the method demonstrated significant resistance to bacterial interference, though it produced weaker signals in response to bacteria. The somatic cell recovery rate in milk after pretreatment was 88.9%, and SCC was quantified accurately within 45 min, with a linear range of 104–106 cells/mL. In summary, the method developed is cost-effective, straightforward, and facilitates precise somatic cell quantification, offering significant practical value and a new approach for SCC detection in raw milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatic cell count detection is the daily work of dairy farms to monitor the health of cows. The feasibility of applying near-infrared spectroscopy to somatic cell count detection was researched in this paper. Milk samples with different somatic cell counts were collected and preprocessing methods were studied. Variable selection algorithm based on hybrid strategy and modelling method based on ensemble learning were explored for somatic cell count detection. Detection model was used to diagnose subclinical mastitis and the results showed that near-infrared spectroscopy could be a tool to realize rapid detection of somatic cell count in milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Good hygienic milking practices including the disinfection of the cow teat skin before and after milking aimed at preventing the occurrence of new intramammary infections (IMI) in dairy cows. This practice is generally performed using disinfectants, and in the current context of attention to the emergence of resistances, it is of greatest interest to evaluate alternative solutions that can expand treatment options. We assessed the efficacy of a pre-dipping and a post-dipping product based on the bacteriocin-containing culture of Lactococcus cremoris strain FT27, as compared to commercial disinfectants. FT27 was selected for the bactericidal activity in vitro against food pathogens. In the present study, it also revealed a high bactericidal activity against the main mastitis pathogens, most likely related to Nisin A production, according to genomic and proteomic analysis. The lactococcus-based preparations were applied in two commercial dairy farms in Northern Italy. Overall, 298 dairy cows were enrolled, 141 in the treated group (TR), and 157 in the control group (CTR). The cows were sampled at quarter level every two weeks for 3 months. During the trial, all cows showed a good health status. The hygiene level for udder, flanks and legs was generally good (on average

The popularity of goat's milk and its products is growing in Slovakia. Among the mandatory health safety features of raw goat's milk is the total bacterial count. It can be determined by the anchor plate-cultivation method, which is, however, tedious, and laborious. Laser flow cytometry is a modern alternative method for measuring the microbiological quality of raw milk. To use the results from laser flow cytometry method for legislative purposes, it is necessary to create a representative conversion of the primarily measured results obtained by this method into the CFU/mL scale. This work describes the creation of such a conversion for raw goat's milk, which will be valid for the Slovak region. After measuring several hundred individual and bulk tank samples of raw goat's milk on a BactoScan FC laser flow cytometer and at the same time using the anchor method according to STN EN ISO 4833-1 and after their subsequent logarithmic transformation, such a conversion was created in the form of log10(CFU/mL) = 1.0174 x log10(IBC/μl) + 2.7483. Subsequently, this was verified by comparing the recalculated and directly measured results in CFU/mL, using additional data set of samples. The influence of the somatic cell count in raw goat's milk, as a possible interfering factor, was also assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Total bacterial count (TBC) and SCC are important quality parameters in goat milk. Exceeding the bulk milk TBC (BMTBC) thresholds leads to price penalties for Dutch dairy goat farmers. Controlling these milk quality parameters can be challenging, especially around kidding. First, we describe the variation and the peaks around kidding of TBC and SCC in census data on Dutch bulk milk over the last 22 yr. Second, to explore causes of these elevations, we studied the variation of TBC and SCC in individual goat milk from 3 wk before to 5 wk after kidding and their association with systemic response markers IFN-γ, calprotectin, BHB, BCS, and fecal consistency. We visited 4 Dutch dairy goat farms weekly for 10 to 16 wk around kidding. Some of the goats had been dried off; other goats were milked continuously throughout pregnancy. A total of 1,886 milk samples from 141 goats were collected for automated flow cytometric quantification of TBC and SCC measurement. IFN-γ, calprotectin, and BHB were determined twice in blood of the same goats; most samples were collected after kidding. The BCS and fecal consistency were scored visually before and after kidding. We found a strong correlation between TBC and SCC (Spearman's rho = 0.87) around kidding. Furthermore, in the third week before kidding, the average TBC (5.67 log 10 cfu/mL) and SCC (6.70 log 10 cells/mL) were significantly higher compared with the fifth week after kidding, where the average TBC decreased to 4.20 log 10 cfu/mL, and the average SCC decreased to 5.92 log 10 cells/mL. In multivariable linear regression models, farm and stage of lactation were significantly associated with TBC and SCC, but none of the systemic response markers correlated with TBC or SCC. In conclusion, TBC and SCC in dairy goats were high in late lactation and decreased shortly after parturition. For SCC, the dilution effect might have caused the decrease, but this was not plausible for TBC. Moreover, the excretion of bacteria and cells in goat milk was not associated with the selected systemic response markers that were chosen as a readout for general immunity status, intestinal health, and metabolic diseases. Therefore, we assume that the TBC increase before kidding and the decrease after parturition are caused by other systemic, possibly hormonal, processes. To reduce BMTBC and bulk milk SCC, it would be advisable to keep milk of goats with highest numbers of bacteria and cells in their milk out of the bulk milk during end lactation. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of withholding this end-lactation milk from the bulk tank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Increasing shortages and costs of common bedding materials have led dairy farmers in Sweden to consider using recycled manure solids (RMS), which are readily available and low cost, as an alternative bedding material. The main risks are effects on udder health and milk quality, but RMS could also affect animal welfare and claw health. The advantages and disadvantages of using RMS bedding have not been fully investigated, and findings in other countries cannot be directly applied to Swedish conditions and climate. This observational cross-sectional study investigated the use of RMS as bedding, regarding associations with certain aspects of animal welfare, herd health, milk quality, and bedding costs in Swedish dairy herds. Thirty-four dairy farms using RMS or wood shavings/sawdust (each n = 17) were compared. Each farm was visited 2 times during the housing period from 2020 to 2021, once from October to December and once from March to May. Dairy barns were observed, animal welfare was assessed, and freestall dimensions were measured. Farm owners were interviewed about housing system characteristics, herd performance, and herd management. Data on milk production and herd health were obtained from the Swedish official milk recording scheme for the indoor period from October to March. The prevalence of claw disorders and abnormal claw conformation were collected from the national claw health database for the period from October to May. On each farm visit, composite samples of unused bedding outside the barn and used bedding material from the freestalls, respectively, were taken for total bacterial count and DM analysis. Samples of bulk tank milk for determination of total bacterial count were taken in connection to the visits. In addition, samples of unused and used bedding material and manure from alleys for analysis of 3 Treponema species associated with digital dermatitis (DD) were gathered and analyzed. Total bacterial count was significantly higher in unused (8.50 log 10 cfu/g) and used RMS bedding (9.75 log 10 cfu/g) than in wood shavings/sawdust (used 4.74; unused 8.63 log 10 cfu/g), but there were no significant differences in bulk milk total bacterial count (median 4.07 vs. 3.89 log 10 cfu/mL) or SCC (median 243,800 vs. 229,200 cells/mL). The aspects of animal welfare assessed did not differ significantly between the 2 bedding systems, whereas the prevalence of total claw disorders (25.9% vs. 38.0% of trimmed cows), dermatitis (6.9% vs. 16.2% of trimmed cows) and sole ulcers (2.0% vs. 4.0% of trimmed cows) were significantly lower in the RMS herds. Treponema spp. were not detected in unused RMS material, but all RMS herds had presence of DD recorded at foot trimming. An economic assessment based on the interview results and price level from winter 2021 revealed that the costs of RMS bedding varied with amount of RMS produced. Thus, RMS is a potential alternative bedding material for dairy cows in Sweden and can be a profitable option for large dairy herds. However, the high level of total bacteria in the material requires attention to bedding and milking routines as well as regular monitoring of herd health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk quantity and quality traits in cattle are affected by udder health, breed, genetic (such as heritability, repeatability, and heterosis), and environmental factors. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of udder health, genetic factors and environmental factors on milk performance traits in cattle breeds. The study was conducted on four dairy farms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 291 milk samples and 547 records were collected from lactating cattle ranging between parities one to six. For milk performance traits and udder health, each milk sample was analysed for milk composition (fat %, protein %, and lactose %) and SSC (by direct microscopic SCC method). The data were analysed using a generalized linear model of SAS studio for the effect of the SCC, breed, and herd on milk performance while wombat and CFC for the analysis of genetic and non-genetic factors. The results showed that animals with higher SCC have significantly lower (P<0.01) milk fat %. Breed-wise analysis showed significantly higher (P<0.01) protein % in Achai, lactose % in Jersey and its crossbred (Jersey x Achai), and LMY was recorded significantly higher in Friesian and its crossbred Jersey x Friesian (JF). The analysis of the environmental effect on milk composition and LMY showed that animals kept in the different herds have significantly different (P<0.01) milk compositions and LMY. The estimates of additive genetic variance (Va), variance of the permanent environment (Vpe), and estimates of phenotypic variation (Vp) were recorded highest for SCC. The analysis of the effect of genetic factors (i.e. heritability, repeatability, and heterosis) revealed that estimation of heritability was highest (0.59) for age at first calving (AFC) while lowest (0.00) for calving interval (CI), and estimation of repeatability was highest (0.99) for AFC while lowest (0.00) for CI. The results of heterosis analysis showed that crossbred (Achai x Jersey) had positive heterosis for milk composition traits and SCC while negative heterosis for LMY compared to their purebreds. The study concluded that crossbred, better herd management and nutrition, and selection based on genetic factors (such as heritability, repeatability, and heterosis) can bring improvement in milk performance traits and udder health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most serious diseases affecting dairy cattle, causing significant losses both in breeding and economy, is mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary gland. Due to the economic importance of this issue, many research teams are striving to develop an easy-to-apply and, most importantly, effective method to prevent mastitis. The use of traditional methods for mastitis detecting and treating, as well as improvement in hygienic conditions, have not yielded the expected results in combating this disease combating. Currently, the main task is to find the tools that would allow for the rapid detection of mastitis and the improvement of udder health in cows while maintaining high milk production, which is essential for the profitability of dairy cattle farming. Accurate and rapid diagnostic tools, with the simultaneous capability of identifying pathogens, may help to reduce losses. Sufficient sensitivity and specificity for tests are required to minimize the number of false-positive and false-negative cases. Efforts are also being made to determine the optimal threshold value for detecting the disease at its earliest possible stage. The estimation of somatic cell count (SCC) as a phenotypic indicator of mastitis is widely used. A more precise parameter for accurately describing udder health is the differential somatic cell count (DSCC). The well-known California Mastitis Test (CMT) is an inexpensive, easy, and rapid method for mastitis detection useful on farms. The latest diagnostic methods for mastitis utilize tests based on the activity of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAGase) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as well as the determination of acute phase proteins (APPs) in blood serum and milk (such as haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, fibrinogen, and ceruloplasmin). Research also focuses on the genomic improvement of mastitis resistance in successive generations, and for this purpose, many quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified. In recent years, immunotherapy has become an increasingly common area of research, including vaccinations, T/B cell immunotherapy, RNA immunotherapy, epigenetic immunotherapy, stem cell therapy, and native secretory factors. An important aspect of the control of mastitis is the implementation of strategies that focus primarily on preventing the disease through appropriate breeding and farm management practices. In the forthcoming years, a significant challenge will be the development of universal diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that can be effectively implemented as alternatives to antibiotic therapy. Future research should prioritize the advancement of preventive and therapeutic techniques, such as immunotherapies, bacteriocins, herbal therapy, and nanoparticle technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of wide-ranging dairy herd improvement (DHI) measurements has resulted in the investigation of somatic cell count (SCC) and the identification of many genes associated with mastitis resistance. In this study, blood samples of Xinjiang brown cattle with different SCCs were collected, and genome-wide DNA methylation was analyzed by MeDIP-seq. The results showed that peaks were mostly in intergenic regions, followed by introns, exons, and promoters. A total of 1,934 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with mastitis resistance in Xinjiang brown cattle were identified. The enrichment of differentially methylated CpG islands of the TRAPPC9 and CD4 genes was analyzed by bisulfate genome sequencing. The methylation rate of differentially methylated CpGs was higher in the TRAPPC9 gene of cattle with clinical mastitis (mastitis group) compared with healthy cattle (control group), while methylation of differentially methylated CpGs was significantly lower in CD4 of the mastitis group compared with the control group. RT-qRCR analysis showed that the mastitis group had significantly reduced expression of CD4 and TRAPPC9 genes compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Mac-T cells treated with lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid showed significant downregulation of the TRAPPC9 gene in the mastitis group compared with the control group. The identified epigenetic biomarkers provide theoretical reference for treating cow mastitis, breeding management, and the genetic improvement of mastitis resistance in Xinjiang brown cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastitis is pressing concern for dairy herds due to its economic impact and potential health risks. Somatic cell counts (SCC), reflecting udder health, plays a crucial role in mastitis diagnosis. Current research explores the distribution of SCC and its correlation with various mastitis-causing pathogens in dairy farms in Serbia. The study analyzed 194 individual cow milk samples and microbiological testing was conducted under aseptic conditions to isolate and identify mastitis pathogens. The microscopic reference method was employed for assessing SCC in the milk samples. Among mastitis-associated isolates, bacteria were present in 28.87 %, yeast in 12.38 %, while in 5.15 % of milk samples, both bacteria and yeast were present. The relationship between SCC in various sample types (negative, bacteria-positive, yeast-positive, and samples with both bacteria and yeast) was noted. Importantly, samples with both bacteria and yeast presence had the highest SCC. While SCC is a valuable tool for monitoring udder health and the effectiveness of mastitis control programs, its response to specific pathogens is complex and doesn’t allow differentiation between pathogen types easily. This research highlights the challenges in distinguishing pathogen types based solely on SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastitis has a substantial impact on the dairy industry across the world, causing dairy producers to suffer losses due to the reduced quality and quantity of produced milk. A further problem, related to this issue, is the excessive use of antibiotics that leads to the development of resistance in different bacterial strains. The growing consumer awareness oriented toward food safety and rational use of antibiotics has promoted the search for new methods of early identification of cows that may be at risk of developing the disease. Subclinical mastitis does not cause any visible changes to the udder or milk, and therefore it is more difficult to detect than clinical mastitis. The collection of large amounts of data related to milk performance of cows allows using machine learning (ML) methods to build models that could be used for classifying cows into healthy and at risk of subclinical mastitis. The data used for the purpose of this study included information from routine milk recording procedures. The dataset consisted of 19,856 records of 2,227 Polish Holstein-Friesian cows from 3 herds. The authors decided to use the approach of building ensemble ML models, in particular bagging, boosting, stacking, and super-learner models, and comparing them for accuracy of identification of disease-affected cows against single ML models based on the support vector machines, logistic regression, Gaussian Naive Bayes, k-nearest neighbors, and decision tree algorithms. The models were trained and evaluated based on the information recorded for herd 1 and using an 80:20 train-test split ratio according to animal ID (to avoid data leakage). The information recorded for herds 2 and 3 was only used to evaluate on unseen data models developed using the herd 1 dataset. Among the single ML models, the support vector machines model was found to be the most accurate in predicting subclinical mastitis at subsequent test day when used both for the training set (mean F 1 -score of 0.760) and the testing sets containing data for herds 1, 2, and 3 (F 1 -score of 0.778, 0.790, and 0.741 respectively). The gradient boosting model was found to be the best performing model among the ensemble ML models (F 1 -score of 0.762, 0.779, 0.791, and 0.723 for the training set and the testing sets, respectively). The super-learner model, featuring the most advanced design and logistic regression in the meta layer, achieved the highest mean F 1 -score of 0.775 during the cross validation; however, it was characterized by a slightly worse prediction accuracy of the testing sets (mean F 1 -score of 0.768, 0.790, and 0.693 for herds 1, 2 and 3 respectively). The study findings confirm the promising role of ensemble ML methods, which were found to be slightly superior with respect to most of the single ML models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, we looked to evaluate the variation in sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and accuracy (Kappa index) of the microbiological diagnosis for Staphylococcus aureus in a dairy cattle herd subjected to blitz therapy to eradicate Streptococcus agalactiae. The studied dairy herd had an average of 160 lactating Holstein cows and microbiological diagnosis was carried out on all lactating cows for 5 consecutive months. After treating the animals that presented a pure culture of S. agalactiae in microbiological diagnosis in the first and second milk sample collections, isolation of S. aureus was observed in these animals in the following milk sample collections, increasing the sensitivity of the microbiological diagnosis. The results indicate that due to the release of S. agalactiae being greater than that of S. aureus, due to competition in a nutritive culture medium, it was not possible to isolate S. aureus in the first collections. However, after the elimination of S. agalactiae through intramammary antimicrobial treatment, S. aureus began to be identified in the microbiological examination as there was no longer competition between the pathogens in the nutritive culture medium. Bovine mastitis is an important and costly disease to dairy cattle. Diagnostic methods usually performed in Brazil are somatic cell counts (SCC) and milk microbiology. Low bacteria shedding in milk implies no colony growth in microbiological tests and false negative results. Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus are principal pathogens of mixed mastitis. However, S. agalactiae has a higher bacterial release from the mammary gland than S. aureus, affecting microbiological sensitivity to diagnose S. aureus. This study aimed to estimate the SCC and total bacterial count (TBC) from cows according to pathogen isolated in milk and to evaluate variation in S. aureus diagnosis by a microbiological test during S. agalactiae treatment, which is called blitz therapy. Both S. agalactiae and S. aureus presented high SCC means, although S. agalactiae showed shedding of bacteria 2.3 times greater than S. aureus. Microbiological sensitivity to S. aureus increased for 5 months during S. agalactiae treatment. The prevalence of S. agalactiae fell after 5 months of therapeutic procedures. The prevalence of S. aureus increased to 39.0. The results showed that due to high sensitivity, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could be used at the beginning of blitz therapy with the goal of S. agalactiae eradication from the dairy herd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to examine the impact of Taraxacum coreanum (known as dandelion) (TC) and TC mixtures with milk thistle (MT) or Aspergillus oryzae (AO) as feed additives on the immune response, milk quality, and milk production in Holstein cows over 6 weeks of administration. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two healthy Holstein dairy cows were provided 30 kg of total mixed ration (TMR) with no TC, 90 gm TC, 54 gm TC + 36 gm MT, or 54 gm TC + 36 gm AO 40% groups. The feed additives were supplied daily in two equal portions (per 45 gm) by topdressing the TMR for 6 weeks. Milk and blood samples were collected weekly. Results: In the TC-treated cows (TC, TC + MT, and TC + AO groups), significantly lower peripheral blood white blood cell (WBC) counts at 6 weeks and milk somatic cell counts (SCCs) at 4-6 weeks of administration were observed. Concentrations of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) were notably elevated in cows treated with TC for 4-6 weeks, while levels of proinflammatory cytokines concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and chemokine (IL-8) were significantly reduced in TC-treated cows after 3-6 weeks of administration. Conclusion: These results suggested that TC or a TC mixture with other medicinal herbs supplementations enhanced the serum antioxidative activities and, consequently, might suppress the adverse immune response due to lower serum TNF-α and IL-8 release supported by lower WBC and SCC counts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 852 (213 animals) and 840 (210 animals) milk samples were collected from lactating buffaloes with signs of clinical and subclinical mastitis respectively. The California Mastitis Test was performed to confirm mastitis. The sub-clinical cases were categorized by severity of infection with moderate severe, severe, more severe and most severe. All the 646 positive samples analysed, 41.95% were found with flacks, 7.73% with watery consistency, 15.01% with pus, 10.06% with blood tinge, 21.67% had odour while 3.56% were noted with curd like consistency. Staphylococcus aureus was logged as the dominant species caused intensive gel formation in subclinical mastitis. However, 840 quarters were found with infection at diverse degree. Only 102 Most severe (4+) samples noted strong gel as with mean somatic cell count (SCC) of 8,1x105 while 60 more severe (3+) samples showed distinct gel with mean SCC of 2,7x105. Among the 102 strong positive samples, 57 (17.27%) contained pathogens. The correlation between SCCml-1 and colony forming unit (CFU) ml-1 of bacterial population was analysed. The mean SCC was counted as 82x105 cells ml-1in clinical and 50x105 cells ml-1 in subclinical mastitis. Staphylococcus aureus was recorded as the most dominant species. The mean values of 93x105 CFU ml-1 were counted for clinical mastitis while 51x105 CFU ml-1 was measured for subclinical mastitis. A clear difference between Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and Total Bacterial Count (TBC) was observed in two groups of buffaloes. The significance of the study is considered useful in apprising health of the animals recommending future strategies to control the infections, an important factor in productivity enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of cold plasma therapy in managing subclinical mastitis in cows caused by Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli. After detection of mastitis pathogens, 38 cows were selected for cold plasma therapy for five days. On the fifth day of treatment, the mastitis agents were re-examined and no causative agents were identified. An additional evaluation conducted 28 days later confirmed the absence of mastitis. Cow productivity, milk composition and quality indicators were assessed at the beginning of the experiment and 32 days from the start (28 days after treatment cessation). After the mastitis treatment, the somatic cell count decreased significantly by between 2.89 and 7.09 times, and the milk yield of the cows at the end of the experiment increased from 0.63 kg per day to 2.82 kg per day (P < 0.01). These results highlight the potential of this innovative approach for managing a prevalent disease that causes substantial losses in the dairy industry. Furthermore, they lay the groundwork for expanded research involving larger sample sizes.

ABSTRACT: There are limited data available regarding pathogens causing intramammary infections (IMI) in Jersey cows. The objectives of this study were to characterize the prevalence of IMI caused by different microorganisms in lactating Jersey cattle and evaluate the associations among microbes and somatic cell count (SCC) and persistence of IMI. This prospective, observational, longitudinal study included lactating Jersey cows (n = 753) from 4 farms within a 415 km radius of Columbia, Missouri. Quarter foremilk samples were aseptically collected monthly for 3 consecutive months. Microorganisms were identified using aerobic milk culture and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A commercial laboratory measured SCC using flow cytometry. Milk culture results were used to classify single microorganism infections as persistent (same microorganism species identified at first sampling and one other sampling) or nonpersistent infection. Mixed models were built to evaluate the associations between IMI status and SCC natural logarithm (lnSCC), as well as persistence and lnSCC. Overall, staphylococci were the most commonly isolated microorganisms among the 7,370 quarter-level milk samples collected. Median prevalence (using all 3 samplings) of specific microbes varied among farms; however, Staphylococcus chromogenes was a common species found at all farms. The most common microbial species that persisted were Staph. chromogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus simulans, and Streptococcus uberis. Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staph. aureus were the IMI associated with the most inflammation based on lnSCC. The small number of herds included in this study with the large variation in herd type limits the generalizability of the data. However, results of this study seem to be similar to those of previous studies in other breeds, suggesting management factors are more important than breed-specific differences when evaluating causes of IMI and associated subclinical mastitis.

Background: Over the past decades, Capparis spinosa has been reported as a therapeutic traditional medicine to relieve various ailments. Mastitis causes a decrease in milk production and treated usually using of injectable and intra-mammary antibiotics. Aim: Investigating the therapeutic effect of ethanolic root extract of Capparis spinosa on subclinical mastitis in sheep. Methods: A total of 164 lactating ewes were selected randomly from the flocks found in some areas belongs to Al-Najaf City (Najaf, Iraq) during September-December (2022). Each study animal was subjected for direct sampling of milk prior, and once each week for 6 weeks (42 days) post treatment to be tested directly by the California mastitis test (CMT). Results: Concerning phytochemical testing of ethanolic roots extract of C. spinosa, the findings were revealed a significant increase in concentration of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols and tannins when compared to other components; coumarins, saponin, glycosides, amino acid and steroid. In this study, there were 44.51% infected ewes with subclinical mastitis involving 25.61%, 13.41% and 5.49% for scores 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In comparison with pre-treatment week, insignificant alteration was seen in values of all scores of the therapeutic week 1. However, significant differences were initiated in values of score 0 in the week 2; score 0 and score 2 in the week 3; score 0, score 1 and score 2 in the week 4; and values of all scores in weeks 5 and 6. Conclusion: This represents the first Iraqi study aimed for treatment of subclinical mastitis in sheep using the root extract of C. spinosa. Phytochemical testing of ethanolic extract revealed the presence of variable amounts of chemical compounds that reflect their effects on treated animals through decreasing the number of infected ewes with the disease. Moreover, studies are of great importance to detect the effect of other parts of C. spinosa such as leaves and seeds on the disease and other animal diseases. [Open Vet J 2024; 14(3.000): 814-821]

ABSTRACT: In this study we wanted to investigate the associations between naturally occurring subclinical intramammary infection (IMI) caused by different etiological agents (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, and Prototheca spp.), in combination with somatic cell count (SCC), on the detailed milk protein profile measured at the individual mammary gland quarter. An initial bacteriological screening (time 0; T0) conducted on individual composite milk from 450 Holstein cows reared in 3 herds, was performed to identify cows with subclinical IMI. We identified 78 infected animals which were followed up at the quarter level at 2 different sampling times: T1 and T2, 2 and 6 wk after T0, respectively. A total of 529 quarter samples belonging to the previously selected animals were collected at the 2 sampling points and analyzed with a reversed phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) validated method. Specifically, we identified and quantified 4 caseins (CN), namely αS1-CN, αS2-CN, κ-CN, and β-CN, and 3 whey protein fractions, namely β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin (LF), which were later expressed both quantitatively (g/L) and qualitatively (as a percentage of the total milk nitrogen content, % N). Data were analyzed with a hierarchical linear mixed model with the following fixed effects: days in milk (DIM), parity, herd, SCC, bacteriological status (BACT), and the SCC × BACT interaction. The random effect of individual cow, nested within herd, DIM and parity was used as the error term for the latter effects. Both IMI (i.e., BACT) and SCC significantly reduced the proportion of β-CN and αS1-CN, ascribed to the increased activity of both milk endogenous and microbial proteases. Less evident alterations were found for whey proteins, except for LF, which being a glycoprotein with direct and undirect antimicrobial activity, increased both with IMI and SCC, suggesting its involvement in the modulation of both the innate and adaptive immune response. Finally, increasing SCC in the positive samples was associated with a more marked reduction of total caseins at T1, and αS1-CN at T2, suggesting a synergic effect of infection and inflammation, more evident at high SCC. In conclusion, our work helps clarify the behavior of protein fractions at quarter level in animals having subclinical IMI. The inflammation status driven by the increase in SCC, rather the infection, was associated with the most significant changes, suggesting that the activity of endogenous proteolytic enzymes related to the onset of inflammation might have a pivotal role in directing the alteration of the milk protein profile.

There are limited data available regarding pathogens causing intramammary infections (IMI) in Jersey cows. The objectives of this study were to characterize the prevalence of IMI caused by different microorganisms in lactating Jersey cattle and evaluate the associations among microbes and somatic cell count (SCC) and persistence of IMI. This prospective, observational, longitudinal study included lactating Jersey cows (n = 753) from 4 farms within a 415 km radius of Columbia, Missouri. Quarter foremilk samples were aseptically collected monthly for 3 consecutive months. Microorganisms were identified using aerobic milk culture and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A commercial laboratory measured SCC using flow cytometry. Milk culture results were used to classify single microorganism infections as persistent (same microorganism species identified at first sampling and one other sampling) or nonpersistent infection. Mixed models were built to evaluate the associations between IMI status and SCC natural logarithm (lnSCC), as well as persistence and lnSCC. Overall, staphylococci were the most commonly isolated microorganisms among the 7,370 quarter-level milk samples collected. Median prevalence (using all 3 samplings) of specific microbes varied among farms; however, Staphylococcus chromogenes was a common species found at all farms. The most common microbial species that persisted were Staph. chromogenes , Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus simulans , and Streptococcus uberis. Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staph. aureus were the IMI associated with the most inflammation based on lnSCC. The small number of herds included in this study with the large variation in herd type limits the generalizability of the data. However, results of this study seem to be similar to those of previous studies in other breeds, suggesting management factors are more important than breed-specific differences when evaluating causes of IMI and associated subclinical mastitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Parity can affect milk yield, milk emission kinetics, and somatic cell count in milk (SCC) in dairy animals, because the mammary gland plays an important role in milk storage capacity between primiparous and multiparous animals. On the other hand, European regulations provide specific SCC limits for cow milk due to it is a well-established indicator of udder health, but lack such criteria for goat or sheep milk. This research paper addresses the effects of parity and SCC threshold on the udder morphology, milkability traits, and milk composition during mid-lactation in Canarian goats. Results showed a positive association between SCC and total bacterial count with the parity, indicating an impairment of the udder epithelial tissue, as well as a greater susceptibility to bacterial infections in older goats. The proximity of the udder to the floor was negatively affected by the SCC threshold, and needs to be taken into consideration for the udder health of dairy goats. The effects of parity and somatic cell count in milk (SCC) threshold on the udder morphology, milkability traits, and milk composition was evaluated in 41 Canarian goats in mid-lactation. The animals were divided according to parity (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), and a SCC threshold of 2000 × 103 cells/mL in milk was set to evaluate the effect of this factor on the different measured parameters. Results showed that primiparous goats had the udder smaller and less distended than multiparous goats, but no differences were detected on milk flow parameters. Furthermore, SCC and total bacterial count (TBC) tended to be higher when the parity increased. On the other hand, goats with SCC ≤ 2000 × 103 had higher cistern-floor distance (CF) and lower TBC values compared with those goats with a count above the predetermined threshold. The results suggest that a reduction in SCC can be achieved by a selection of udder morphological traits. Moreover, milk flow parameters do not seem to be a tool to determine the udder health status in Canarian goats, but long-term studies are needed to verify it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is necessary to determine the extent and direction of environmental factors to accurately assess cow performance in terms of milk yield and milk components. Although many studies have explored environmental factors affecting milk yield, there is not enough information about the effects and direction of environmental factors on milk composition. Objective: To determine the effects of non-genetic factors, such as calving season, lactation number, lactation stage, animal age, and herd size on milk yield, chemical composition of raw milk, and Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in Holstein-Friesian cows. Methods: Data were obtained from 15,354 raw milk samples of 5,118 Holstein-Friesian cows at 276 dairy farms in Türkiye. The data analysis was performed using the General Linear Model (GLM) feature of the SPSS statistics program. Results: Mean fat (F), protein (P), dry matter (DM), lactose (L), urea (U), and Log10SCC values of milk were 3.74 ± 0.01, 3.19 ± 0.01, 11.36 ± 0.03, 4.32 ± 0.01%, 21.57 ± 0.28 mg/dL, and 5.244 ± 0.01 cells/mL, respectively. Peak milk yield (PMY), lactation milk yield (LMY), 305-day milk yield (305-d MY), and SCC values were 33.7 ± 0.13, 8,538.33 ± 89.64 kg, 6,479.42 ± 168.96 kg, and 224,164.34 ± 4,402.79 cells/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Dairy farms in Türkiye should improve protein, dry matter, and urea contents in milk and investigate in detail the relationship between raw milk urea, subclinical mastitis, and reproductive features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotic fermented milks were produced from goat milk containing two different somatic cell counts (SCC) at low (<500.000 cells/mL) and high (>1.500.000 cells/mL) levels. The produced samples were analysed for some chemical, textural, microbiological and sensory properties. The samples made from high SCC goat milk had higher lipolytic activity. The viscosity and hardness of probiotic fermented milks with low SCC were higher than that of the higher SCC samples. Probiotic fermented milks produced with low SCC achieved higher sensory scores and the viability of the starter bacteria was more stable in these samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The components of milk from beef cows remain to be elucidated. This study examined the differences in the antimicrobial components of milk between dairy and beef cows. Quarter milk was collected from both Japanese Black (beef type) and Holstein (dairy type) cows to compare the concentrations of antimicrobial components. The concentration of lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP) was higher, whereas that of the other antimicrobial components (lactoferrin, S100A7, and S100A8) was lower in beef cows than in dairy cows. Overall, these results indicate that the differences in antimicrobial components between beef and dairy cows may be associated with the difference in the prevalence of mastitis between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to determine the prevalence of mastitis and its consequences on milk production, 3,953,637 test-day records of Holstein cows (period 01/2005 to 12/2022) were analyzed. The obtained analyses indicate differences in mastitis prevalence and the consequences on successive milk production depending on herd size. The lowest mastitis prevalence was observed on the largest farms (>500), while the most pronounced recovery potential was observed for farms with 200–500 cows. Higher mastitis prevalence and lower recovery potential observed at smaller farms indicate the necessity of education and knowledge transfer to those farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The hypothesis of interdependency among cows' mammary glands has been shown, and quarters adjacent to glands with clinical mastitis may have their composition and health status impaired. Aims: The main focus of this study was to compare foremilk composition (fat, total protein, lactose, solids non-fat (SNF), and chloride) and health status (somatic cell count (SCC), differential leukocytes) of healthy mammary glands adjacent to a gland previously treated (on average, 24 days after treatment, varying from 20 to 39 days) for clinical mastitis with foremilk samples of healthy mammary glands of healthy cows. Our previous study compared these traits (foremilk composition and health status) between healthy mammary glands adjacent to a mastitis-infected quarter and healthy mammary glands from healthy cows (no clinical mastitis) immediately after the identification of mastitis on case quarters. Methods: The study was designed as a prospective case–control study and the enrolled cows (cases and controls) were matched by days in milk and parity. Case cows (n = 50) were defined as cows that previously had a single quarter infected with mild or moderate clinical mastitis, and which were treated according to an on-farm protocol 1 day after mastitis identification. Control cows (n = 50) were defined as cows that had not suffered clinical mastitis in the current lactation. Foremilk samples from each quarter of case and control cows were collected so as to assess concentrations of fat, total protein, lactose, SCC, and SNF, conduct microbiological analyses, and determine the concentration of chloride and differential leukocyte counts. Multivariate linear regression and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess possible associations of milk-composition and health-status traits between quarter types (case or control cows). Key results: On average, 24 days after the treatment of the case quarter began, milk composition (fat, lactose, SNF, and chloride) and some health status (lymphocyte and macrophage counts) of adjacent quarters returned to similar levels as in control quarters, while total protein, SCC, and neutrophils remained greater for adjacent quarters. No effect of quarter position or microbiological results of enrolled quarters were identified. Conclusions: Our results suggested that at least 20 days (average of 24 days) after an episode of clinical mastitis in a neighbouring gland, adjacent quarters were still recovering from this mastitis episode, and we conclude that interdependency of quarters is a physiological systemic two-way immune response route, and each particular milk component has a different behaviour after clinical mastitis. Implications: Our results suggest that clinical mastitis is far more costly for producers and industry than has been previously reported. Bovine mastitis is the disease that causes the most economical losses to dairy farmers, including veterinary expenses, milk disposal, loss of production and reduction of animal pregnancies. The milk composition of the mammary quarter affected by mastitis is not the only one compromised, because the milk quality of the entire udder is also affected. A period of 20 days is not enough for animals to fully recover from a case of udder inflammation. Mastitis is more costly to producers and industry than has been previously reported. Bovine mastitis is the disease that causes the most economical losses to dairy farmers, including veterinary expenses, milk disposal, loss of production and reduction of animal pregnancies. The milk composition of mammary quarter affected by mastitis is not the only one compromised, as the milk quality of entire udder is also affected. A period of 20 days is not enough for animals to fully recover from a case of udder inflammation. Mastitis is more costly to producers and industry than has been previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the past decades, Capparis spinosa has been considered a traditional therapy for relieving different illnesses. Mastitis causes a decrease in milk production and is usually treated with injectable and intra-mammary antibiotics. Aim: Investigating the therapeutic effects of C. spinosa root extract on subclinically mastitic ewes. Methods: Totally, 164 lactating ewes were selected randomly from the flocks that existed in some areas belonging to Al-Najaf City (Najaf, Iraq) from September to December (2022). Each study animal was subjected to direct sampling of milk before and once each week for 6 weeks (42 days) post treatment to be tested directly by the California mastitis test (CMT). Results: Concerning phytochemical testing of ethanolic root extract, the findings revealed a significant increase in the concentration of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins when compared to other components such as coumarins, saponin, glycosides, amino acids, and steroids. In this study, there were 44.51% infected ewes with subclinical mastitis, involving 25.61%, 13.41%, and 5.49% for scores 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In comparison with pretreatment week, insignificant alteration was seen in the values of all scores in therapeutic week 1. However, significant differences were initiated in values of score 0 in week 2; score 0 and score 2 in week 3; score 0, score 1, and score 2 in week 4; and values of all scores in weeks 5 and 6. Conclusion: This represents the first Iraqi study aimed at the treatment of subclinical mastitis in sheep using the root extract of C. spinosa. Phytochemical testing of ethanolic extract revealed the presence of variable amounts of chemical compounds that reflect their effects on treated animals by decreasing the number of infected ewes with the disease. Moreover, studies are greatly important to estimate the therapeutic effects of other parts of C. spinosa such as leaves and seeds, on the disease and other animal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we wanted to investigate the associations between naturally occurring subclinical intramammary infection (IMI) caused by different etiological agents (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus , Streptococcus agalactiae , Streptococcus uberis , and Prototheca spp.), in combination with somatic cell count (SCC), on the detailed milk protein profile measured at the individual mammary gland quarter. An initial bacteriological screening (time 0; T0) conducted on individual composite milk from 450 Holstein cows reared in 3 herds, was performed to identify cows with subclinical IMI. We identified 78 infected animals which were followed up at the quarter level at 2 different sampling times: T1 and T2, 2 and 6 wk after T0, respectively. A total of 529 quarter samples belonging to the previously selected animals were collected at the 2 sampling points and analyzed with a reversed phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) validated method. Specifically, we identified and quantified 4 caseins (CN), namely α S1 -CN, α S2 -CN, κ-CN, and β-CN, and 3 whey protein fractions, namely β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin (LF), which were later expressed both quantitatively (g/L) and qualitatively (as a percentage of the total milk nitrogen content, % N). Data were analyzed with a hierarchical linear mixed model with the following fixed effects: days in milk (DIM), parity, herd, SCC, bacteriological status (BACT), and the SCC × BACT interaction. The random effect of individual cow, nested within herd, DIM and parity was used as the error term for the latter effects. Both IMI (i.e., BACT) and SCC significantly reduced the proportion of β-CN and α S1 -CN, ascribed to the increased activity of both milk endogenous and microbial proteases. Less evident alterations were found for whey proteins, except for LF, which being a glycoprotein with direct and undirect antimicrobial activity, increased both with IMI and SCC, suggesting its involvement in the modulation of both the innate and adaptive immune response. Finally, increasing SCC in the positive samples was associated with a more marked reduction of total caseins at T1, and α S1 -CN at T2, suggesting a synergic effect of infection and inflammation, more evident at high SCC. In conclusion, our work helps clarify the behavior of protein fractions at quarter level in animals having subclinical IMI. The inflammation status driven by the increase in SCC, rather the infection, was associated with the most significant changes, suggesting that the activity of endogenous proteolytic enzymes related to the onset of inflammation might have a pivotal role in directing the alteration of the milk protein profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, deep learning combined with udder ultrasonography of buffalo was used for the detection of mastitis for the first time, with the aim of establishing an accurate, rapid, and inexpensive method to detect buffalo mastitis instead of routine laboratory examination. This method provides a basis for mastitis detection in buffaloes mostly raised by small farmers and has the opportunity to be used in a variety of dairy animals in the future. Mastitis is one of the most predominant diseases with a negative impact on ranch products worldwide. It reduces milk production, damages milk quality, increases treatment costs, and even leads to the premature elimination of animals. In addition, failure to take effective measures in time will lead to widespread disease. The key to reducing the losses caused by mastitis lies in the early detection of the disease. The application of deep learning with powerful feature extraction capability in the medical field is receiving increasing attention. The main purpose of this study was to establish a deep learning network for buffalo quarter-level mastitis detection based on 3054 ultrasound images of udders from 271 buffaloes. Two data sets were generated with thresholds of somatic cell count (SCC) set as 2 × 105 cells/mL and 4 × 105 cells/mL, respectively. The udders with SCCs less than the threshold value were defined as healthy udders, and otherwise as mastitis-stricken udders. A total of 3054 udder ultrasound images were randomly divided into a training set (70%), a validation set (15%), and a test set (15%). We used the EfficientNet_b3 model with powerful learning capabilities in combination with the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) to train the mastitis detection model. To solve the problem of sample category imbalance, the PolyLoss module was used as the loss function. The training set and validation set were used to develop the mastitis detection model, and the test set was used to evaluate the network's performance. The results showed that, when the SCC threshold was 2 × 105 cells/mL, our established network exhibited an accuracy of 70.02%, a specificity of 77.93%, a sensitivity of 63.11%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.77 on the test set. The classification effect of the model was better when the SCC threshold was 4 × 105 cells/mL than when the SCC threshold was 2 × 105 cells/mL. Therefore, when SCC ≥ 4 × 105 cells/mL was defined as mastitis, our established deep neural network was determined as the most suitable model for farm on-site mastitis detection, and this network model exhibited an accuracy of 75.93%, a specificity of 80.23%, a sensitivity of 70.35%, and AUC 0.83 on the test set. This study established a 1/4 level mastitis detection model which provides a theoretical basis for mastitis detection in buffaloes mostly raised by small farmers lacking mastitis diagnostic conditions in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating quality and microbiological parameters in bovine milk processing centers is essential for ensuring public health and product quality and positively impacting the local economy. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and sanitary parameters of bovine milk in the Amazon region. For this purpose, 31 samples were collected from milk processing centers in the region. The following quality parameters were evaluated: somatic cell count; physicochemical parameters: fat, protein, nonfat solids, lactose, ash, pH, and density; and microbiological parameters: mesophilic aerobic bacteria and total coliforms in the raw milk. For data analysis, mean comparison tests were performed using Kruskal‒Wallis and Tukey tests, and cluster and principal component analysis was performed using R software version 4.3.2 and InfoStat version 2018p. The results for the 31 milk processing centers showed significant differences in all the parameters evaluated; fat, somatic cell count, and density were within the technical specifications of the Supreme Decree N° 007-2017-MINAGRI. Microbiological analyses revealed significant variability in total coliforms and mesophilic aerobic bacteria. Cluster analysis revealed five groups with similar characteristics, with Group 1 exhibiting high somatic cell, lactose, and ash contents and Group 3 exhibiting higher fat contents. Principal component analysis highlighted the significant contributions of total coliforms, aerobic bacteria, and somatic cells to the degradation of milk quality. Although somatic cell counts meet specific standards, elevated levels of coliforms and aerobic bacteria are of concern. These findings are essential for ensuring food safety and improving milk quality.

Mastitis is pressing concern for dairy herds due to its economic impact and potential health risks. Somatic cell counts (SCC), reflecting udder health, plays a crucial role in mastitis diagnosis. Current research explores the distribution of SCC and its correlation with various mastitis-causing pathogens in dairy farms in Serbia. The study analyzed 194 individual cow milk samples and microbiological testing was conducted under aseptic conditions to isolate and identify mastitis pathogens. The microscopic reference method was employed for assessing SCC in the milk samples. Among mastitis-associated isolates, bacteria were present in 28.87 %, yeast in 12.38 %, while in 5.15 % of milk samples, both bacteria and yeast were present. The relationship between SCC in various sample types (negative, bacteria-positive, yeast-positive, and samples with both bacteria and yeast) was noted. Importantly, samples with both bacteria and yeast presence had the highest SCC. While SCC is a valuable tool for monitoring udder health and the effectiveness of mastitis control programs, its response to specific pathogens is complex and doesn’t allow differentiation between pathogen types easily. This research highlights the challenges in distinguishing pathogen types based solely on SCC.

Probiotic fermented milks were produced from goat milk containing two different somatic cell counts (SCC) at low (1.500.000 cells/mL) levels. The produced samples were analysed for some chemical, textural, microbiological and sensory properties. The samples made from high SCC goat milk had higher lipolytic activity. The viscosity and hardness of probiotic fermented milks with low SCC were higher than that of the higher SCC samples. Probiotic fermented milks produced with low SCC achieved higher sensory scores and the viability of the starter bacteria was more stable in these samples.

The aim of this study was to determine the milk quality characteristics of Simmental (SIM) cows of Austrian origin, which have increased the interest of breeders in Türkiye in recent years. For this aim, the milk analysis results of a farm located in Menemen County, İzmir/Türkiye from 2012 to 2021 were used. Milk fat (MF, %), protein (MP, %), lactose (ML, %), total dry matter (TDM, %) contents and somatic cell count (SCC, cell/ml) were determined. In order to determine the current situation, milk samples were taken from the cows (90 heads) in August 2021, and in addition to the above milk components, the solid non-fat (SNF) and freezing point (FP) were determined. The effects of sampling season, calving month, lactation month, sampling season x calving month and sampling season x lactation month interactions were found to be statistically significant for all traits (P

This study aimed to determine the potential of Wallachian sheep in quantitative and qualitative indicators of milk production under extensive conditions of the Western Beskids mountains. Milk samples were collected from the group of 38 non-dairying sheep selected from the basic 120-head flock. Ewes were monitored during four control days (from 27th April, the average 42nd day of lactation to 4th August, the average 142nd day of lactation) to cover the whole lactation period. Ewes were investigated for their milk production and for milk quantity parameter. Milk quality indicators included percentage estimation of milk components (fat, protein, casein, lactose, dry matter), somatic cell count (103 cells/ml), vitamin A and E content (mg/kg), and K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu (mg/kg) content. Milk production ranged from 1 017.37 g (early stage of lactation) to 416.87 g (late stage of lactation period). The milk contained high fat (6.06-8.44%) and protein (4.68-5.68%) percentages, low somatic cell count and favourable distribution of minerals and vitamins. In general, results of this study indicate a possibility for low-productive traditional grazing system with extensive sheep breeds not only for cultivating the area but also for the purpose of high nutritional food with beneficial aspect on human health.

The present study aimed to evaluate analytical performances of radial immunodiffusion (RID) technique for the quantification of milk lactoferrin (LF), and to investigate the main sources of variation of LF concentration in individual milk samples of Holstein Friesian (HF, n = 1516) and Simmental (SI, n = 230) cows. Repeatability (RSDr) and reproducibility (RSDR) of RID method were assessed as relative standard deviation of 15 measurements within the same day and 45 measurements across 3 d, respectively. Sources of variation of milk LF were investigated through a mixed linear model which included the fixed effects of classes of stage of lactation and parity (and their interaction), cow breed, udder health status (UHS, based on somatic cell count and differential somatic cell count), and the random effects of the herd-test day nested within breed and the residual. Method performances were satisfactory in terms of repeatability (RSDr < 9%) and reproducibility (RSDR < 8%), suggesting that the RID can be considered as a consistent cow-side test for the quantification of milk LF. Milk LF was positively associated with somatic cell score (r = 0.40) and negatively with lactose content (r = −0.33). Lower concentration of LF was observed in milk of ‘healthy’ and ‘susceptible’ cows (13.03 and 12.87 mg/dL, respectively) compared to ‘mastitic’ and ‘chronic’ cows (17.91 and 17.33 mg/dL, respectively). In this light, milk LF has the potential to be a useful biomarker to detect early mastitis. Further research is advisable to deepen the association between milk LF content and observed clinical mastitis.Highlights Radial immunodiffusion method for milk lactoferrin quantification is repeatable and reproducible. Somatic cell count is positively associated with milk lactoferrin content. Milk lactoferrin is less concentrated in milk of healthy and susceptible than potentially mastitic and chronic cows.

The aim of this study was to propose and verify a scoring system for the evaluation of udder susceptibility to mastitis, which combined five influential teat traits into one overall score for the udder. The traits included barrel diameter, apex diameter, canal length, the change in wall thickness, and the change in apex diameter. Teat morphology of 38 Holstein cows were measured twice during lactation by ultrasonography. Each teat was scored for the presence of traits with negative implications for the udder health at the start (ScoreLactStart) and the end of lactation (ScoreLactEnd). Results showed that cows with higher score had significantly worse udder health. The number of mastitis warning days was significantly correlated to both scores. In addition, ScoreLactEnd was correlated to somatic cell count (SCC) and lactose content. Each increase of ScoreLactEnd by 1 point represented an increase in SCC by 17,745 cells mL−1, 9.4 more days with mastitis warning, and 4.6 more days with SCC above 400,000 cells mL−1 during observed lactation. Only ScoreLactStart was significantly related to blood content, but relations to SCC were weaker compared to ScoreLactEnd. Ranking udders based on teat morphology traits show potential for detection of mastitis susceptible cows in commercial herds.

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of lameness in dairy cow herds, focusing on its relationship with milk traits, metabolic profile, and dry period management. Lameness was evaluated in 4221 multiparous Holstein dairy cows during early lactation (up to 60 days postpartum) using a 1-to-5 scale. The average lameness score was 1.67, with a prevalence of 10.66% (scores 3 to 5) and 4.55% classified as severe (scores 4 to 5). Severe lameness was associated with energy-corrected milk losses of −11.00 kg/day (p < 0.001) and a decrease in milk lactose concentration by −0.16 percentage points (p < 0.001), alongside a rise in somatic cell scores by +0.11. The incidence of cows with a milk fat-to-protein ratio below 1.2 increased by 21.7 percentage points, while those with a ratio above 1.4 rose by 19.1 percentage points as lameness worsened. Additionally, non-esterified fatty acid concentrations increased by 1.46 times as lameness severity intensified (p < 0.001). Cows without lameness had blood cortisol levels 1.86 times lower than affected cows, with cortisol tripling in those with the highest scores. A dry period of 30 to 60 days was correlated with more healthy cows, whereas periods over 90 days resulted in 1.586 times higher odds of lameness (p < 0.05). This research underscores the need for improved management strategies to enhance dairy cow welfare and productivity.

For several years, the determination of a differential cell count of a raw milk sample has been proposed as a more accurate tool for monitoring the udder health of dairy cows compared with using the absolute somatic cell count. However, the required sample preparation and staining process can be labor- and cost-intensive. Therefore, the aim of our study was to demonstrate the feasibility of analyzing unlabeled blood and milk leukocytes from dairy cows by means of digital holographic microscopy (DHM). For this, we trained three different machine learning methods, i.e., k-Nearest Neighbor, Random Forests, and Support Vector Machine, on sorted leukocyte populations (granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes/macrophages) isolated from blood and milk samples of three dairy cows by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Afterward, those classifiers were applied to differentiate unlabeled blood and milk samples analyzed by DHM. A total of 70 blood and 70 milk samples were used. Those samples were collected from five clinically healthy cows at 14-time points within a study period of 26 days. The outcome was compared with the results of the same samples analyzed by flow cytometry and (in the case of blood samples) also to routine analysis in an external laboratory. Moreover, a standard vaccination was used as an immune stimulus during the study to check for changes in cell morphology or cell counts. When applied to isolated leukocytes, Random Forests performed best, with a specificity of 0.93 for blood and 0.84 for milk cells and a sensitivity of 0.90 and 0.81, respectively. Although the results of the three analytical methods differed, it could be demonstrated that a DHM analysis is applicable for blood and milk leukocyte samples with high reliability. Compared with the flow cytometric results, Random Forests showed an MAE of 0.11 (SD = 0.04), an RMSE of 0.13 (SD = 0.14), and an MRE of 1.00 (SD = 1.11) for all blood leukocyte counts and an MAE of 0.20 (SD = 0.11), an RMSE of 0.21 (SD = 0.11) and an MRE of 1.95 (SD = 2.17) for all milk cell populations. Further studies with larger sample sizes and varying immune cell compositions are required to establish method-specific reference ranges.

Mastitis is a serious challenge for the dairy industry, leading to economic losses and affecting milk quality. The aim of this study is to identify genetic factors associated with mastitis resistance by conducting a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the somatic cell score (SCS). Phenotypic records of 350 Holstein Friesian cows were obtained from the Slovenian Cattle Recording Scheme Database and consisted of around 1500 lactation data from 2012 to 2023 collected on a single farm in Slovenia. Corresponding genotypic data were also retrieved from the same database and genotyped using the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip (Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). For the association study, three SCS parameters were considered, including lactation mean somatic cell score (LM_SCS), maximum SCS value (SCSMAX), and top three mean value of SCS (TOP3). After performing a GWAS using FarmCPU and BLINK models, five significant SNPs associated with the TOP3 trait were found on BTA 14, 15, 22, and 29. The identified SNP markers were closely linked to six known candidate genes (DNASE1L3, SLC36A4, ARMC1, PDE7A, MMP13, CD44). These results indicate potential genetic markers associated with SCS in the Slovenian Holstein Friesian population.

The somatic cell count (SCC) refers to the number of somatic cells present in each milliliter of raw milk and serves as a crucial indicator of dairy cow udder health and raw milk quality. Traditional SCC detection methods are often time-consuming, expensive, and susceptible to bacterial interference, rendering them unsuitable for the rapid and unbiased assessment of raw milk quality. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a low-cost, accurate, and user-friendly SCC quantification method. Here, a method based on an OPD-Cu2+ system for SCC quantification was developed. It was found that OPD oxidation signals exhibited a linear correlation with SCC. Following optimization, the detection system was established with a Cu2+ concentration of 25 μM, an OPD concentration of 2 mM, and an incubation time of 15 min. Furthermore, the method demonstrated significant resistance to bacterial interference, though it produced weaker signals in response to bacteria. The somatic cell recovery rate in milk after pretreatment was 88.9%, and SCC was quantified accurately within 45 min, with a linear range of 104–106 cells/mL. In summary, the method developed is cost-effective, straightforward, and facilitates precise somatic cell quantification, offering significant practical value and a new approach for SCC detection in raw milk.

Simple Summary: Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace mineral required for milk production and maintaining the optimal health of dairy cows. The current nutrient requirement models (e.g., NASEM (2021)) predict the dietary Zn requirement of dairy cows to be 60 mg/kg of dry matter (DM), based on the milk production and dry matter intake (DMI) of cows. North American farmers, however, supplement Zn at a higher rate of 76 mg/kg of DM, and a meta-analysis demonstrated that even higher Zn supplementation at 100 mg/kg of DM could improve udder health. In this study, increasing the dietary Zn supplementation from 76 to around 97 mg/kg of DM decreased the DMI by about 1.0 kg/d, but it improved the post-peak milk yield, which was associated with an increased milk protein yield and decreased somatic cell count in milk. Overall, the data highlight the possibility of improving the udder health and milk yield persistency by increasing the organic Zn supplementation well above the current recommendations. Because milk yield persistence and low somatic cell counts have critical implications for economic viability and animal well-being, Zn supplementation will directly affect the overall sustainability of dairy production. This study's objective was to determine the effects of increasing the dietary added zinc (Zn) on the milk production, milk somatic cell count (SCC), and immunoglobulin and antioxidant marker concentrations in the blood of dairy cows. Twelve Holstein cows (67 ± 2.5 days in milk) were assigned randomly to (1) a diet containing Zn–methionine at 76 mg/kg of DM (CTL) or (2) CTL top-dressed with about 21 mg/kg of DM extra Zn–methionine (+Zn) for 70 d. The concentrations of reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and immunoglobulins in the blood were measured on d 0, 35, and 70. Compared to CTL, +Zn decreased the dry matter intake (DMI) throughout the trial and the milk yield (MY) during the first phase of feeding (0–35 d). It, however, increased the milk yield during the last phase (36–70 d). The +Zn tended to have lower and greater milk protein yields than CTL during the first and last feeding phases, respectively. The +Zn tended to decrease the SCC and was associated with lower plasma GSH: GSSG and lower serum SOD concentrations relative to CTL. The +Zn did not affect the immunoglobulins, MDA, or CAT. Despite the early DMI and MY reduction, the prolonged Zn–methionine supplementation at about 100 mg/kg of DM improved the milk yield, possibly as a result of the improved udder health of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Bovine mastitis is characterized by an inflammatory process in the mammary gland and represents one of the main diseases affecting a dairy herd. Management of mastitis is most commonly via antibiotics, but the rising incidence of multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) means that additional options are needed. Homeopathic products can be administered in dairy farming for a range of clinical reasons and may be preferential due to the absence of residues. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the potential of a novel homeopathic complex medicine in managing bovine mastitis. Methods Twenty-four lactating Holstein cows with mastitis were divided into two groups: the homeopathic complex group received a homeopathic complex daily for 60 days at a dose of 20 g/d; the placebo group received the calcium carbonate vehicle without homeopathic medicines at the same dose and repetition. The main outcome measure was somatic cell count (SCC; cells/mL), with additional outcome measures including milk production (kg/d), milk constituents (percentage of protein, fat, lactose and total milk solids), and serum levels of cortisol, glucose, ammonia and lactic acid. All outcomes were measured at the beginning of the study and after 30 and 60 days. Milk samples were also collected from all animals at the beginning of the study, confirming a high (>0.2) MAR index for isolated bacterial cultures. Results Assessment of SCC showed a statistically significant difference favoring the homeopathic complex versus placebo group at day 60. A reduction in serum cortisol levels and an increase in fat, lactose and total milk solids in animals treated with the homeopathic complex at day 60 were also seen. Other outcome measures did not show statistically significant inter-group differences. Conclusion The results of this non-randomized, open-label, placebo-controlled trial suggest the potential for a novel homeopathic complex medicine in management of multiple antibiotic-resistant bovine mastitis, thus offering dairy farmers an additional option to antibiotics and making dairy products safer for consumer health and milk production more sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Heat stress is an increasing concern for the Australian dairy industry. Aims. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) on rumination time (RT), milk yield and quality, and milking frequency in a pasture-based voluntary-movement automatic milking system (AMS). Methods. Data were collected from the University of Melbourne Dookie College AMS farm for 3 years (June 2016 to March 2019). Daily RT was collected through the transponder collar (Qwes-HR, Lely). Climatic data (maximumambient temperature and relative humidity) were obtained fromthe Dookie Meteorological station to calculate daily maximumTHI (THImax). Key results. Daily milk yield increased with a rising THImax to 65, then declined after THImax 65. Milking frequency was highest at THImax 90, followed by a steady decline afterwards. Rumination time was maximum at mid-range THImax and declined for high and low values. Conclusions. The findings of this study clearly indicated that under pasture-based voluntary-movement AMS, high THI resulted in a drop in the milk yield, milking frequency and RT. Implications. With the provision of automation of data collection from AMS, further study with mathematical modelling describing the daily patterns and thresholds in conjunction with the different heat stress levels can be useful for assessing animal welfare and to mitigate heat stress and seek alternative management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mastitis is the major disease affecting milk production of dairy cattle, and milk is an obvious substrate for the detection of both the inflammation and its causative infectious agents at quarter, cow, or herd levels. In this review, we examine the use of milk to detect inflammation based on somatic cell count (SCC) and other biomarkers, and for the detection of mastitis pathogens through culture‐based and culture‐free methods. Findings: The use of SCC at a cow or bulk milk level to guide udder health management in lactation is well‐established, and SCC is increasingly used to guide selective dry cow treatment. Other markers of inflammation include electrical conductivity, which is used commercially, and markers of disease severity such as acute phase proteins but are not pathogen‐specific. Some pathogen‐specific markers based on humoral immune responses are available, but their value in udder health management is largely untested. Commercial pathogen detection is based on culture or polymerase chain reaction, with other tests, for example, loop‐mediated isothermal amplification or 16S microbiome analysis still at the research or development stage. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight (MALDI‐ToF) is increasingly used for the identification of cultured organisms whilst application directly to milk needs further development. Details of test sensitivity, specificity, and use of the various technologies may differ between quarter, cow, and bulk milk applications. Conclusions: There is a growing array of diagnostic assays that can be used to detect markers of inflammation or infection in milk. The value of some of these methods in on‐farm udder health improvement programs is yet to be demonstrated whilst methods with proven value may be underutilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed one Holstein- Friesian dairy farm using two types of milking technologies. One of them is a parallel milking parlour (2x8), where 200 cows are milked twice a day. The other part of the animals (500 cows) is milked with robotic milking machine. The average daily milking frequency is 2.8. We processed data from nearly 700 cows. Based on the two different milking technologies, we formed two groups for the calculations. We collected daily milk production (kg/day), milk protein (%/kg), milk fat (%/kg) and somatic cell count (SCC) (cell number/cm3) data, based on a monthly test-day. Each month, there was significantly more milk production for robotic milking (P<5%). In the 2nd month of lactation, at the time of peak production, the average milk production of the animals was 43 kg and 37 kg, respectively. The milk protein content was higher in conventional milking, because less milk is more concentrated. At months 2, 3, 4, and 11 of lactation, the difference was significant. In the month of peak production (month 2): 3.27 and 3.22 (milk protein %). Milk fat% was higher in conventional milking only in months 2 and 3 of lactation, however, this level was significantly higher in the second half of lactation in addition to robotic milking. The somatic cell count of milk was lower each month for robotic milking. This difference was significant for the first 11 months. At 3 months of lactation: 140,000 (AMS) and 220,000 (CMS) (number of cells/cm3) (P<5%). Based on our results, we can conclude that significantly more milk and milk fat can be produced and significantly less the SCC with the robot milking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 123 sub clinical mastitis (SCM) affected cows, before treatment mean values of Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and pH in group I and II were significantly high (P<0.01) when compared to healthy control group III, whereas fat and milk yield significantly (P<0.01) low. However, after therapy, the mean value of SCC and pH were significantly (P<0.01) decreased whereas, fat and milk yield increased significantly (P<0.01). In the present study, hematological investigation revealed significantly (P<0.01) low concentration of Hemoglobin (gm/dL), Total Erythrocyte Count (TEC) and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) in group I and group II before treatment when compared to that of the apparently healthy control group III and after therapy the concentration increased significantly (P<0.01) in group I and II. Whereas the mean TLC (103/μL), Neutrophil and Lymphocyte values in group I and group II cows before treatment were found significantly (P<0.01) high, when compared to that of the apparently healthy control group III. The post treatment values were decreased significantly (P<0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]