Advertisement
Article| Volume 80, ISSUE 8, P1833-1840, August 1997

Estimation of Variance Components for Somatic Cell Counts to Determine Thresholds for Uninfected Quarters

Open ArchiveDOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)76118-6
Estimation of Variance Components for Somatic Cell Counts to Determine Thresholds for Uninfected Quarters
Previous ArticleEffect of Storage System and Dry Matter Content on the Composition of Alfalfa Silage1
Next ArticleA Survey of Dairy Manure Management Practices in California
      This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.

      Abstract

      The objective of this study was to determine the factors affecting somatic cell count (SCC), to estimate variance components of these factors, and to calculate and evaluate the thresholds for intramammary infection based on SCC. The infection status from 22,467 quarter milk samples from 544 cows in seven herds was determined. Infection status was the most important factor affecting SCC. The increase in SCC was more pronounced for major pathogens than for minor pathogens. Even after adjustment for infection status, the interaction between stage of lactation and parity was significant. For culture-negative samples within a lactation, the shape of the SCC curve was inversely related to the shape of the milk production curve. The shape of the SCC curve was flat for first lactation cows compared with the shape of the SCC curve for cows in subsequent lactations. The effect of clinical mastitis on SCC was significant. The use of SCC thresholds for specific parities and stages of lactation to detect intramammary infection improved quality parameters only slightly over a fixed threshold of 200,000 cells/ml.

      Keywords

      Abbreviation Key:

      BMSCC (bulk milk SCC), CNS (coagulase-negative staphylococci), RMSE (root mean squares error)

      References

        • Ali A.K.A.
        • Shook G.E.
        An optimal transformation for somatic cell concentration in milk.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1980; 63: 487
        • Bartlett P.C.
        • Anderson C.R.
        • Kirk J.H.
        Milk production and somatic cell count in Michigan dairy herds.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1990; 73: 2794
        • Berning L.M.
        • Shook G.E.
        Prediction of mastitis using milk somatic cell count. N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, and lactose.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1992; 75: 1840
        • Brolund L.
        Cell counts in bovine milk, causes of variation and applicability for diagnosis of subclinical mastitis.
        Acta Vet. Scand. Suppl. 1985; 80: 1
        • Dohoo I.R.
        • Leslie K.E.
        Evaluation of changes in somatic cell counts as indicators of new intramammary infections.
        Prev. Vet. Med. 1991; 10: 225
        • Doubravsky P.
        • Trappmann W.
        Nutzung des somatischen Zellgehaltes der Milchzurzuchterische verbesserung der Eutergesundheit.
        Zuechtungskunde. 1992; 64: 323
        • Emanuelsson U.
        • Persson E.
        Studies on somatic cell counts in milk from Swedish dairy cows. I. Non-genetic causes of variation in monthly test-day results.
        Acta Agric. Scand. 1984; 34: 33
        • Fernando R.S.
        • Spahr S.L.
        • Jaster E.H.
        Comparison of electrical conductivity of milk with other indirect methods for detection of subclinical mastitis.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1985; 68: 449
        • Harmon R.J.
        • Reneau J.K.
        Factors affecting somatic cell counts in milk.
        in: Proc. Natl. Mastitis Counc., Kansas City, MO. Natl. Mastitis Counc., Inc., Madison, WI1993: 48

      10. Heuven, H.C.M. 1987. Diagnostic and genetic analysis of mastitis field data. Ph.D. Diss., Univ. Wisconsin, Madison.

        • Hogan J.S.
        • Galton D.M.
        • Harmon R.J.
        • Nickerson S.C.
        • Oliver S.P.
        • Pankey J.W.
        Protocols for evaluating efficacy of postmilking teat dips.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1990; 73: 2580
        • Hogan J.S.
        • White D.G.
        • Pankey J.W.
        Effects of teat dipping on intramammary infections by staphylococci other than Staphylococcus aureus.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1987; 70: 873
        • Ichikawa M.
        • Ichikawa T.
        • Notsuki I.
        • Nakano T.
        Variation in the results of bacteriologic culturing and indirect diagnostic methods for Staphylococcus aureus infected udder over a two month period.
        Anim. Sci. Technol. (Jpn.). 1993; 64: 462
        • Kennedy B.W.
        • Sethar M.S.
        • Tong A.K.W.
        • Moxley J.E.
        • Downey B.R.
        Environmental factors influencing test-day somatic cell counts in Holsteins.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1982; 65: 275
        • Kramer R.
        • Lederer J.
        • Frank W.
        • Seefeldt G.
        Lactose-und Zellgehalt von Einzelgemelksproben in Abhangigkeit von Euterinfektionen un systematischen Einflussen.
        Milchwissenschaft. 1980; 35: 136
        • Lam T.J.G.M.
        • Van Vliet J.H.
        • Schukken Y.H.
        • Grommers F.J.
        • Van Velden-Russcher A.
        • Barkema H.W.
        • Brand A.
        The effect of discontinuation of postmilking teat disinfection in low somatic cell count herds. I. Incidence of clinical mastitis.
        Vet. Q. 1997; 19: 41
        • Lindstrom U.B.
        • Kenttamies H.
        • Arstila J.
        • Tuovila R.
        Usefulness of cell counts in predicting bovine mastitis.
        Acta Agric. Scand. 1981; 31: 199
        • Lucey S.
        • Rowlands G.J.
        The association between clinical mastitis, somatic cell count and udder conformation.
        Livest. Prod. Sci. 1984; 39: 243
        • Martin S.W.
        • Meek A.H.
        • Willeberg P.
        Veterinary Epidemiology. Principles and Methods.
        Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames1988
        • McDermott M.P.
        • Erb H.N.
        • Natzke R.P.
        Predictability by somatic cell counts related to prevalence of intramammary infections within herds.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1982; 65: 1535
        • Mijnen E.
        • Jaartsveld F.H.J.
        • Albers G.A.A.
        • Verstegen M.W.A.
        • Tielen M.J.M.
        The value of cell count, lactose content, pH and conductivity of milk for mastitis detection in individual cows.
        Neth. Milk Dairy J. 1983; 36: 65
        • Miller R.H.
        Traits for sire selection related to udder health and management.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1984; 67: 459
        • Miller R.H.
        • Paape M.J.
        • Fulton L.A.
        Variation in milk somatic cells of heifers at first calving.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1991; 74: 3782
        • Oliver S.P.
        • King S.H.
        • Lewis M.J.
        • Torr P.M.
        • Matthews K.R.
        • Dowlen H.H.
        Efficacy of chlorhexidine as a postmilking teat disinfectant for the prevention of bovine mastitis during lactation.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1990; 73: 2230

      25. Ostensson, K. 1993. Trafficing of leukocytes and immunoglobulin isotypes in the bovine udder. Ph.D. Diss., Swedish Univ. Agric. Sci., Uppsala, Sweden.

        • Reneau J.K.
        Effective use of Dairy Herd Improvement somatic cell counts in mastitis control.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1986; 72: 2785
        • Robertson J.R.
        • Fox L.K.
        • Hancock D.D.
        • Gay C.C.
        • Besser T.E.
        Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus intramammary infections in primiparous dairy cows.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1994; 77: 958

      28. SAS/STAT® User's Guide, Version 6. 1990. SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, NC.

        • Sears P.M.
        • Smith B.S.
        • English P.B.
        • Herer P.S.
        • Gonzalez R.H.
        Shedding pattern of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine intramammary infections.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1990; 73: 2785
        • Sears P.M.
        • Wilson D.J.
        • Gonzalez R.H.
        • Hancock D.D.
        Microbiological results from milk samples obtained premilking and postmilking for the diagnosis of bovine intramammary infections.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1991; 74: 4183
        • Smith J.W.
        • Schultze W.D.
        Variation in cell content of milk associated with time of sample collection. I. Diurnal variation.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1967; 59: 1083
        • Vecht U.
        • Wisselink H.J.
        • Defize P.R.
        Dutch national mastitis survey. The effect of herd and animal factors on somatic cell count.
        Neth. Milk Dairy J. 1989; 43: 425
        • Weller J.I.
        • Saran A.
        • Zeliger Y.
        Genetic and environmental relationships among somatic cell count, bacterial infection, and clinical mastitis.
        J. Dairy Sci. 1992; 75: 2532

      34. Wilmink, J.B.M. 1987. Studies on test-day and lactation milk, fat and protein yield of dairy cows. Ph.D. Diss., Wageningen Agric. Univ., Wageningen, The Netherlands.

      Article info

      Publication history

      Accepted: November 25, 1996
      Received: April 17, 1996

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)76118-6

      Copyright

      © 1997 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc.

      User license

      Elsevier user license |
      How you can reuse Information Icon
      Elsevier user license

      Permitted

      For non-commercial purposes:

      • Read, print & download
      • Text & data mine
      • Translate the article

      Not Permitted

      • Reuse portions or extracts from the article in other works
      • Redistribute or republish the final article
      • Sell or re-use for commercial purposes

      Elsevier's open access license policy

      ScienceDirect

      Access this article on ScienceDirect

      The content on this site is intended for healthcare professionals.


      We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. To update your cookie settings, please visit the Cookie Preference Center for this site.
      Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. except certain content provided by third parties.


      RELX