TY - JOUR

T1 - Mastitis detection during the colostral phase by somatic cell count in quarter foremilk samples

AU - Grabowski, Nils T.

AU - Hamann, J.

AU - Krömker, V.

PY - 2002/1/1

Y1 - 2002/1/1

N2 - The physiological range and the potential of diagnostic thresholds for the somatic cell count (SCC; [log10/ml]) during the colostral phase (1st to 7th day postpartum (p.p.)) were investigated. 370 quarters of 97 Holstein-Friesian cows in Northern Germany were sampled at the 1st (F1) and 2nd (F2) week p.p. and examined cytobacteriologically. The higher the SCC value of a quarter in F1, the lower was the possibility of returning to a level <4.67 log10/ml in F2. After categorisation of udder quarter health in F2, the SCC of F1 was studied retrospectively. For the first 2 days p.p., colostrum SCC was inadequate for mastitis diagnosis since there was no significant difference between healthy and diseased quarters. However, from day 3 p.p. on, there was a significant difference (p<0.02) with a mean SCC of 4.61±0.56 log10/ml in healthy quarters. The threshold for healthy quarters was 5.20 log10/ml colostrum (160000 cells/ml) with a specificity of 92%, a sensitivity of 20% and a least probability of misclassification of 18%. Thus, colostrum can be a useful additional tool in early lactation mastitis diagnosis when sampled at day 3 p.p. at the earliest, and with a threshold of 160000 cells/ml colostrum for interpretation.

AB - The physiological range and the potential of diagnostic thresholds for the somatic cell count (SCC; [log10/ml]) during the colostral phase (1st to 7th day postpartum (p.p.)) were investigated. 370 quarters of 97 Holstein-Friesian cows in Northern Germany were sampled at the 1st (F1) and 2nd (F2) week p.p. and examined cytobacteriologically. The higher the SCC value of a quarter in F1, the lower was the possibility of returning to a level <4.67 log10/ml in F2. After categorisation of udder quarter health in F2, the SCC of F1 was studied retrospectively. For the first 2 days p.p., colostrum SCC was inadequate for mastitis diagnosis since there was no significant difference between healthy and diseased quarters. However, from day 3 p.p. on, there was a significant difference (p<0.02) with a mean SCC of 4.61±0.56 log10/ml in healthy quarters. The threshold for healthy quarters was 5.20 log10/ml colostrum (160000 cells/ml) with a specificity of 92%, a sensitivity of 20% and a least probability of misclassification of 18%. Thus, colostrum can be a useful additional tool in early lactation mastitis diagnosis when sampled at day 3 p.p. at the earliest, and with a threshold of 160000 cells/ml colostrum for interpretation.

KW - Mastitis (somatic cell count)

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036444914&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:0036444914

VL - 57

SP - 601

EP - 604

JO - Milchwissenschaft

JF - Milchwissenschaft

SN - 0026-3788

IS - 11-12

ER -