Acute Phase Protein as Biomarker for Diagnosis of Sub-Clinical Mastitis in Cross-Bred Cows

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the role of acute phase proteins [Serum amyloid A (SAA) and milk amyloid A (MAA)] for diagnosis of sub-clinical mastitis in cross-bred cows. The study was conducted on 40 apparently healthy cross-bred cows, in the mid-lactation period and were equally divided into four groups [Group-I (Bacteriologically negative milk samples, California mastitis test (CMT) negative), Group-II (Bacteriologically negative with SCC £200,000 cells/ml milk, CMT positive), Group-III (Bacteriologically negative with SCC ³200,000 £500,000 cells/ml milk, CMT positive) and Group-IV (Bacteriologically positive with SCC ³200,000 £500,000 cells/ml milk, CMT positive)]. On bacteriological examination of 57 milk samples, 27(47.36%) were found positive and 30 (52.63%) were found negative. A highly significant (P 200,000 cells/ml, 74 µg/ml and 10 µg/ml, respectively for the diagnosis of sub-clinical mastitis with high sensitivity (90% to 100%). The area under curve of the SAA was larger than those of SCC and MAA, which suggests that the SAA test was more accurate than SCC and MAA for the diagnosis of sub-clinical mastitis.