Authors : R. Asadpour , H. Tayefi-Nasrabadi , G.A. Moghadam and K. Nofouzi
Abstract: Association between values for the Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and intramammary infection (IMI) were studied in 80 dairy cows from dairy herd in Iran during the first 5-15 days post calving. Samples were cultured for bacterial presence and were tested for SCC. Intramammary infection was defined as the presence of one or two bacterial species in milk samples taken within 5-15 day postcalving. Prevalence of IMI was large; 65% of milk samples were infected. Approximately 30% of the cows classified as infected with Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS) and S. aureus had the pathogen identified on 5-15 days post calving. Streptococcus agalactia accounted for 10% of the IMI. Remaining IMI were by other pathogeneses among which Escherichia coli, Proteus sp., Klebsiella sp. Arcanobacter pyogenes. All milk samples from dairy cows in early lactation had SCC ranged from 5.24�105 cells mL 1 in the first parity to 5.5�105 in the third parity with a mean value of 5.45�105. No significant differences were observed (p>0.05) in SCC values between parities. Also, no significant differences were found (p>0.05) between SCC values and infections. Thus, these testing strategies may not be ideal for making decisions about individual animals, such as identifying individual cow with S. aureus for segregated milking.
R. Asadpour , H. Tayefi-Nasrabadi , G.A. Moghadam and K. Nofouzi , 2008. Associations Between Somatic Cell Count and Intramammary Infection in Early Lactation of Dairy Cows. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 7: 1223-1226.