SOMATIC CELL COUNT AND BACTERIA SHEDDING FROM MAMMARY QUARTERS IN COWS WITH SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS

Abstract

Samples of milk from 638 mammary quarters were examined for identification of mastitis pathogens, SCC and TBC. The analysis of SCC and TBC results was performed using descriptive statistics, T test for independent samples and linear regression models. The geometric means of the results of SCC (cells/mL) and TBC (CFU/mL) according to the results of microbiological examination were: no growth (52,000; 12,000), coagulase-negative staphylococci (85,000; 17,000), Staphylococcus aureus (587,000; 77,000), Streptococcus spp. than S. agalatiae (432,000; 108,000) and Streptococcus agalactiae (1,572,000; 333,000). Regression analysis showed increased release of different bacteria with the same increase of SCC according to the pathogen. The results suggest that the greater the intensity of the inflammatory process, greater release of bacteria from the mammary gland and the adoption of a program to control and prevention of mastitis is essential for maintaining a low bacterial load in the milk of herds.