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Variation in milk cell counts during lactation of British Friesian cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. D. P. Wood  and
J. M. Booth
P. D. P. Wood
Affiliation:
Milk Marketing Board, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0EL
J. M. Booth
Affiliation:
Milk Marketing Board, Veterinary Laboratory, Cleeve House, Lower Wick, Worcester WR2 4NS
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Abstract

A survey was carried out of 1 640 British Friesian heifers calving predominantly in the autumn of 1979. The monthly samples of 1 055 animals showing no reported evidence of udder infection were used to evaluate the parameters of a lactation curve in milk cell count. The model was

C = 190 n−0.4880exp(0·178n)

where C is the monthly cell count in millions per 1 during the nth month of lactation. The cell count varied from 230 × 106 in week 1 and 190 × 106 in week 11 to 400 × 106 in week 44 of lactation.

On applying the model to the whole sample, milk sampled within a month before or after antibiotic treatment for clinical mastitis contained more than 200 × 106 cells per 1 above the level suggested by the lactation curve. Lactation mean cell counts of treated cows were 400 × 106 cells per 1 higher than those of untreated cows. It was not possible to identify periods in which cows required treatment, or those with high cell counts, by reference to the lactose concentration in the milk samples. Among the untreated cows, the cell count at the third monthly test-day was lower than at any other time, and was more highly correlated with the lactation mean cell count.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 36 , Issue 3 , June 1983 , pp. 335 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

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References

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