Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T17:13:13.007Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Frequency of subclinical mastitis and observations on somatic cell counts in ewes' milk in northern Greece

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. Stefanakis ,
C. Boscos ,
C. Alexopoulos  and
F. Samartzi
A. Stefanakis
Affiliation:
Department of Clinics of Small and Large Animals, Veterinary Faculty, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, GR 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
C. Boscos
Affiliation:
Department of Clinics of Small and Large Animals, Veterinary Faculty, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, GR 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
C. Alexopoulos
Affiliation:
Department of Clinics of Small and Large Animals, Veterinary Faculty, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, GR 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
F. Samartzi
Affiliation:
Department of Clinics of Small and Large Animals, Veterinary Faculty, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, GR 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
Get access

Abstract

Somatic cell counting by the Coulter Counter method, California mastitis test and bacteriological examination were performed on milk samples taken at fortnightly intervals throughout lactation from healthy primiparous and iniiltiparous ewes of the Chios and Karagouniki breeds and from healthy ewes in five grazing flocks in northern Greece.

The proportion of the bacteriologically positive milk samples was 0·22. The prevalence of subclinical mastitis ranged, between the flocks, from 29 to 43% of the ewes. Subclinical mastitis occurred more frequently in Karagouniki than in Chios eives and in multiparous than in primiparous ewes of both breeds. Coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus were isolated in 44 and 33% of the bacteriologically postive samples, respectively. No parity, breed or flock differences in normal somatic cell count were noticed, but stage of lactation influenced normal somatic cell count both in primiparous and multiparous ewes. The results of this investigation also suggest that (a) ovine milk samples with somatic cell count more than 1000 × 103 cells per ml, should be tested bacteriologically, (b) somatic cell count values between 1000 and 2000 × 103 cells per ml should cause suspicion about the presence of coagulase-negative staphylococci in the milk, and (c) the presence of S. aureus in ewe's milk results in a significant increase in somatic cell count, but the wide range of the values does not permit us to suggest any threshold value. The significant correlation between the results of the Coulter Counter somatic cell count method and the Califortiia mastitis test, indicates that the latter can be used for the determination of somatic cell count in ewe's milk.

Keywords

California mastitis testcell countingmastitis (subclinical)sheep
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 61 , Issue 1 , August 1995 , pp. 69 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bodoh, G. W., Battista, W. J., Schultz, L. H. and Johnston, P. P. 1976. Variation in somatic cell counts in dairy flock improvement milk samples. Journal of Dairy Science 59: 1119–1123.Google Scholar
Booth, J. M. 1975. Cell counting in milk. Veterinary Annual 15:47–49.Google Scholar
Cruz, M., Serrano, E., Morrono, V., Marco, J., Romeo, M., Baselga, R., Albizu, I. and Amorena, B. 1994. Subclinical mastitis in the Manchega sheep breed: etiology and prevalence at mid late lactation. Small Ruminant Research 14:175–180.Google Scholar
Dulin, A. M., Paape, M. J., Berkow, S., Hamosh, M. and Hamosh, P. 1983. Comparisons of total somatic cells and differential cellular composition in milk from cows, sheep, goats and humans. Federation Proceedings of the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology 42:1331.Google Scholar
Dutschaever, C. L. and Ashton, G. C. 1972. Variations of somatic cells and neutrophils in milk throughout lactation. Journal of Milk and Food Technology 35:261–263.Google Scholar
El-Masannat, E. T. S. 1987. Ovine mastitis with special reference to mastitis caused by Pasteurella haemolytica. Ph.D. thesis. University of London.Google Scholar
Fruganti, G., Ranucci, S. and Valente, C. 1983. Sul valore diagnostico di alcune prove di laboratorio nelle mastiti della pecora. La Clinica Veterinaria 106:145–153.Google Scholar
Fthenakis, G. C. 1988. Ovine mastitis with special reference to subclinical mastitis associated with coagulase-negative Staphylococci. PhD. thesis, University of London.Google Scholar
Fthenakis, G. C. 1994. Prevalence and aetiology of subclinical mastitis in ewes of southern Greece. Small Ruminant Research 13:293–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fthenakis, G. C., El-Masannat, E. T. S., Booth, J. M. and Jones, J. E. T. 1991. Somatic cell counts of ewes' milk. British Veterinary Journal 147:575–581.Google Scholar
Fthenakis, G. C. and Jones, J. E. T. 1990a. [Incidence and aetiology of clinical ovine mastitis in flocks in Central Macedonia, Greece.] Bulletin of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society 41:133–141.Google Scholar
Fthenakis, G. C. and Jones, J. E. T. 1990b. The effect of experimentally induced subclinical mastitis on milk yield of ewes and on the growth of lambs. British Veterinary Journal 146:43–39.Google Scholar
Gonzalo, C., Baro, J. A., Carriedo, J. A. and San Primitivo, F. 1993. Use of the Fossomatic method to determine somatic cell counts in sheep milk. Journal of Dairy Science 76:115–119.Google Scholar
Green, T. J. 1984. Use of somatic cell counts for detection of subclinical mastitis in ewes. Veterinary Record 114:43.Google Scholar
Gross, S. J., Pollak, E. J., Anderson, J. G. and Torrell, D. T. 1978. Incidence and importance of subclinical mastitis in sheep, journal of Animal Science 46:1–8.Google Scholar
Heredia, F. B. de and Iturritza, J. 1988. [Somatic cell counts in the milk of Laxta ewes. II. Determination of the physiological threshold.] Medicina Veterinaria 5:33–38.Google Scholar
Hurley, J. V. 1983. Acute inflammation. 2nd ed.Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
International Dairy Federation. 1984. Recommended methods for somatic cell counting in milk. Bulletin of the International Dairy Federation, no. 168.Google Scholar
Ipsiladis, S., Sarris, K. and Papadopoulos, O. 1988. [Microbiological studies on subclinical mastitis in sheep.] Bulletin of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society 39:266–275.Google Scholar
Mackie, D. P. and Rodgers, S. P. 1986. Mastitis and cell content in milk from Scottish Blackface ewes. Veterinary Record 118:20–21.Google Scholar
Maisi, P., Junttila, J. and Seppanen, J. 1987. Detection of subclinical mastitis in ewes. British Veterinary journal 143:402–409.Google Scholar
Marco, J. C., Romeo, M., Esnal, A., Salazar, M. and Gonzalez, L. 1993. Survey of intramammary infections in Laxta ewes. Proceedings of the third international sheep veterinary conference, vol. 17, p. 228.Google Scholar
Miller, R. H. 1982. Genetics of resistance to mastitis. Proceedings of the second world congress on genetics applied to livestock production, Madrid, pp.186–198.Google Scholar
Poutrel, B. 1984. Udder infection of goats by coagulase-negative staphylococci. Veterinary Microbiology 9:131–137.Google Scholar
Poutrel, B. and Lerondelle, C. 1983. Cell content of goat milk: California mastitis test, Coulter Counter, and Fossomatic for predicting half infection, journal of Dairy Science 66:2575–2579.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poutrel, B. and Rainard, P. 1982. Predicting the probability of quarter infection (by major pathogens) from somatic cell concentration. American Journal of Veterinary Research 43:1296.Google Scholar
Ray, D. E., Halbach, T. J. and Armstrong, D. V. 1992. Season and lactation number effects on milk production and reproduction of dairy cattle in Arizona, journal of Dairy Science 75:2976–2983.Google Scholar
Romeo, M., Esnal, A., Gonzalez, L. and Marco, J. C. 1993. Ovine mastitis: relation between somatic cell count (SCC), milk yield and its composition. Proceedings of the third international sheep veterinary conference, vol. 17, pp.227–228.Google Scholar
Schalm, O. W., Carroll, E. J. and Jain, N. C. 1971. Bovine mastitis. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, USA.Google Scholar
Smith, R. E. and Hagstad, H. V. 1986. Infection of bovine udder with coagulase-negative staphylococci. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 4:35–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Syrstad, O., Ron, I. and Wiggen, J. 1979. [Factors affecting cell counts in milk from individual cows.] Nordisk Veterinaer Medicin 31:114–121.Google Scholar
Torres-Hernandez, G. and Hohenboken, W. 1979. Genetic and environmental effects on milk production, milk composition and mastitis in crossbred ewes. Journal of Animal Science 49:410–417.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Travnicek, M., Petrik, P., Federic, F. and Balascak, J. 1978. [Cell contents in ewes' milk in relation to diagnosis of mastitis.] Veterinarstvi 28:459–460.Google Scholar
Vitkov, M. and Vitanov, S. 1980. [Cell content of ewes' milk in machine milking.] Veterinarmedizin Nauki 17:53–58.Google Scholar
Watkins, G. H., Burriel, A. R. and Jones, J. E. T. 1991. A field investigation of subclinical mastitis in sheep in southern England. British Veterinary journal 147:413–420.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ziv, G., Shacked, A. and Risenberg-Tirer, R. 1968. The effectiveness of the California mastitis test as a measure of somatic cell counts of ewe's milk. Refuah Veterinarith 25:184–192.Google Scholar