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The objectives of this study were to compare the effectiveness of different indicators of mammary inflammation in buffalo and to evaluate the association of the indicators with buffalo milk yield, composition, and rennet coagulation properties. This study was carried out at four buffalo farms in central Italy using a total of 50 lactating buffalo. Milk from each buffalo was tested at the beginning, middle, and end of lactation. To evaluate the relationship between mastitis markers and milk components, three classes were defined for each of the following markers: total somatic cell count (TSCC), differential somatic cell count (DSCC), and bacteriological results The regression coefficient for the reference method and the alternative method of determining TSCC was 0.81, indicating that the method routinely used to analyze buffalo milk consistently underestimated actual TSCC. The milk samples positive for udder-specific bacteria also had higher TSCC values than the samples that were negative for bacteria (/ml vs. /ml). In samples that were positive for udder-specific bacteria, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) made up greater than 50% of the cells. Moreover, only 1% of the samples in the lowest TSCC class were positive for bacteria. The correlation between TSCC and PMN was stronger (0.70), and PMN values in buffalo milk increased significantly when the TSCC class changed from low (38%) to medium and high (56% and 64%). Milk yield was negatively related to TSCC. Significant changes in lactose (4.87%, 4.80% and 4.64%) and chloride content (0.650 mg/ml, 0.862 mg/ml and 0.882 mg/ml) were also observed with increasing TSCC values. Higher TSCC was associated with impaired rennet coagulation properties: the clotting time increased, while the curd firming time () and firmness decreased. We concluded that in buffalo as in dairy cows, TSCC is a valid indicator of udder inflammation; we also confirmed that a value of cells/ml should be used as the threshold value for early identification of an animal affected by subclinical mastitis. In addition to its association with significantly decreased milk yield, a TSCC value above this threshold value was associated with changes in milk composition and coagulating properties.

The monitoring was carried out for one year on 20 farms of Mediterranean buffalo situated in central Italy. The milk yield, the somatic cell count, the coagulating properties and some components were determined. The average value of somatic cells was 221.28 n×10 3 /ml. Milk production decreased when somatic cell numbers increased. The rennet clotting time increased significantly when somatic cells were higher than 300.00 n×10 3 /ml, the curd firming time was significantly higher when somatic cells were more than 1,000.00 n×10 3 /ml and the curd firmness increased up to 200.00 n×10 3 /ml, then gradually decreased. Protein and casein decreased when somatic cells increased and the same trend was shown by casein/protein ratio. Both for these components and the coagulating properties the threshold limit of somatic cells to obtain better results was 200.00 n×10 3 /ml. The somatic cell number did not show a trend which was strictly influenced by the lactation stage, contrary to what happened in the other species. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 5 : 738-742)