RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CYTOLOGICAL QUALITY AND COMPOSITION OF MILK AND THE EFFECT OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE FREQUENCY OF RECURRENT MASTITIS IN COWS

Abstract

Data on somatic cell counts (SCC) in test-day milkings of 63621 cows from the active population of the Pomerania and Kujawy regions were analysed for the years 1998–2002. A negative correlation was found between SCC and milk yield (r= -0.19xx) and lactose content (r= -0.38xx) and a positive correlation was found between SCC and fat (r= 0.07xx) and protein content (r= 0,25xx). The chi2 test revealed significant (p≤0.01) differences in the frequency of cows with recurrent mastitis according to all the factors analysed (age of cows (lactation 1, 2, 3 and 4+), milk yield of the herd (<4 000, 4 001–5 000, 5 001–6 000 and >6 000 kg milk), herd size (<10, 10.1–20, 20.1–100, 100.1–200 and >200 cows) and year of calving (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002)). Age of cows was the most differentiating factor.