EFFECT OF SEVERITY OF SUB-CLINICAL MASTITIS ON SOMATIC CELL COUNT AND LACTOSE CONTENTS OF BUFFALO MILK

Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery; ¹Department of Livestock Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

    This study was conducted to determine the effect of severity of sub-clinical mastitis on somatic cell count (SCC) and lactose contents of milk in 100 apparently healthy dairy buffaloes. Surf Field Mastitis Test (SFMT) was used to determine the severity of sub-clinical mastitis which was graded as Negative (N), Traces (T), mild clumping (P1), moderate clumping (P2) and heavy clumping (P3). Mean milk SCC (x 10⁵) at SFMT scores N, T, P1, P2 and P3 were 2.06 + 1.09, 3.73 + 0.96, 9.69 + 4.05, 31.97 + 10.26 and 121.01 + 23.71 per ml, respectively. Using the same scoring, mean values of milk lactose were 5.10 + 0.09, 4.81 + 0.10, 4.66 + 0.08, 3.92 + 0.05 and 2.66 + 0.37 percent, respectively. Percent increases of mean SCC in T, P1, P2 and P3 groups with respect to N (control) were 81.47, 370.51, 1451.71 and 5773.41, respectively. Percent decreases of mean lactose in T, P1, P2 and P3 groups with respect to N (control) were 5.54, 8.52, 22.98 and 47.81, respectively. Statistical analysis indicated non-significant difference of mean SCC in N and T groups, while there was highly significant (P<0.01) difference in mean SCC among P1, P2 and P3 groups and also with respect to N. Similarly, there was a significant (P<0.05) difference of mean lactose among T, P1, P2 and P3 groups and also with respect to control/ negative group.