Jurii MITEV, Zhivka GERGOVSKA, Tchonka MITEVA, Nasko VASILEV, Krassimira UZUNOVA, Toncho PENEV

Effect of the Degree of Udder Contamination in Dairy Cows on the Somatic Cell Count in Milk

ABSTRACT The study includes a total of 310 Black-and-white cows from 9 herds throughout the period from November 2010 till January 2011. The farms used two rearing technologies (free and tied) and were of different capacity. To assess the degree of udder contamination a 4-grade system has been used. The rearing technology and the farm capacity had a reliable effect on somatic cells count (SCC) in milk. In tied rearing higher SCC have been recorded than in free rearing, a lesser relative share of cows with clean udders (hygiene score -1) and a greater one of cows with contaminated udders (hygiene score 3 and 4). The greatest was the relative share of cows with contaminated udders (hygiene score 3 and 4) and the least clean were the cows in farms with tied rearing and capacity from 50 to 100 cows. Cows with score 1 (clean udder) had the smallest somatic cell count – 172.4x103/ml, which was related to low risk of mastitis diseases. The ones with score 3 and 4 had somatic cell count over 400x103/ml. The availability of more than 20% of cows with udder hygiene score 3 and 4 was an indicator for increased risk of mastitis in the herd and obtaining low quality milk. Somatic cell count in milk depended largely on the maintenance of bedding and the farm hygiene rather than the farm capacity and the rearing technology. Key Words: Udder hygiene score, somatic cells, dairy cows, free rearing, tied rearing ÖZET SÜT SIĞIRLARINDA MEME KONTAMİNASYON DERECESİNİN SÜTTEKİ SOMATİK HÜCRE SAYISI ÜZERİNE ETKİSİ Çalışma, Kasım 2010'dan Ocak 2011'e kadar olan süre zarfında 9 sürüde bulunan 310 adet siyah alaca ineği kapsamıştır. Çiftlikler farklı kapasitelerde bulunan iki yetiştiricilik sistemini (serbest gezinmeli ve bağlamalı sistem) içermektedir. Meme kirlenme derecesini değerlendirmek için 4-dereceli sistem kullanılmıştır. Sütte somatik hücre sayımının (SHS) yetiştiricilik sistemi ve çiftlik kapasitesi üzerinde güvenilir sonuçları olduğu bulunmuştur. Temiz memelerden (hijyen skoru-1) daha az, kontamine memelerden (hijyen skoru-3 ve 4) ise daha yüksek olmak üzere, bağlamalı sistemde bulunan hayvanların sütlerinde serbest gezinmeli sistemden daha yüksek oranda SHS bulunmuştur. Kontamine memelere (hijyen skoru-3 ve 4) sahip ineklerin daha fazla olduğu ve temiz memelere sahip ineklerin ise en az sayıda olduğu bağlamalı sistemde çiftlik kapasitesi 50 ile 100 arasında değişmektedir. Hijyen skoru-1 olan (temiz meme) ineklerde somatik hücre sayısı en düşük bulunmuş – 172,4x103/ml ve mastitis hastalığı ile ilgili riskin düşük olduğu belirlenmiştir. Hijyen skoru-3 ve 4olanlarda somatik hücre sayısı 400x103/ml'nin üzerinde bulunmuştur. Hijyen skoru 3 ve 4 olan memelere sahip olan ineklerin %20'den fazla oranda bulunması, sürü içinde mastitis riskini arttırdığı ve düşük kaliteli sütün oluşumuna neden olduğu belirlenmiştir. Sütte somatik hücre sayısının çiftlik kapasitesi ve yetiştiricilik sisteminden ziyade büyük oranda altlık ve çiftlik hijyenine bağlı olduğu saptanmıştır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Meme hijyen skoru, somatik hücre, süt sığırları, serbest gezinmeli sistem, bağlamalı sistem

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Meme hijyen skoru, somatik hücre, süt sığırları, serbest gezinmeli sistem, bağlamalı sistem

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The study includes a total o f 310 Black-and-white cows from 9 herds throughout the period from November 2010 t i l l January 2011. The farms used two rearing technologies (free and tied) and were o f different capacity. To assess the degree o f udder contamination a 4-grade system has been used. The rearing technology and the farm capacity had a reliable effect on somatic cells count (SCC) i n milk. I n tied rearing higher SCC have been recorded than i n free rearing, a lesser relative share o f cows w i t h clean udders (hygiene score -1) and a greater one o f cows w i t h contaminated udders (hygiene score 3 and 4). The greatest was the relative share o f cows w i t h contaminated udders (hygiene score 3 and 4) and the least clean were the cows i n farms w i t h tied rearing and capacity from 50 to 100 cows. Cows w i t h score 1 (clean udder) had the smallest somatic cell count - 172.4x103/ml, which was related to l o w risk o f mastitis diseases. The ones w i t h score 3 and 4 had somatic cell count over 400x103/ml. The availability o f more than 20% o f cows w i t h udder hygiene score 3 and 4 was an indicator for increased risk o f mastitis i n the herd and obtaining l o w quality milk. Somatic cell count i n m i l k depended largely on the maintenance o f bedding and the farm hygiene rather than the farm capacity and the rearing technology

Keywords:

Udder hygiene score, somatic cells, dairy cows, free rearing, tied rearing,

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