CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTICAL ASPECTSIN DAIRY MEDITERRANEAN BUFFALO MASTITIS

Abstract

The goal of the present study was the verify the qualitative and quantitative numerical linear correlation between the most common diagnostics test (electrical conductivity, California Mastitis Test, somatic cells count and bacteriological milk culture) employed for detection of mastitis in Mediterranean Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis). Four hundred and eighteen primiparous Mediterranean Buffaloes, randomly chosen between December 2011 and September 2012, were enrolled in the study. All the subjects with traumatic evidences of mastitis were discarded. A composite milk sample (pool of the 4 quarts) was collected from each animal, between days 30 and 150 after calving, during evening milking and send to laboratory for somatic cell count and bacteriological milk culture. Electrical conductivity and California Mastitis Test were recorded and performed, respectively, in farm after milking. Low correlation values between the most of variables were found, but a moderate strong coefficient between California Mastitis Test and somatic cells count was detected (0,657). The lowest correlation’s values were recorded between electrical conductivity and the other test because it showed a low ability to rightly identify buffalo udder health status. The diagnostic characteristic of electrical conductivity and California Mastitis Test measurements cannot adequately reflect Mediterranean Buffalo’s udder bacteriological status. A few informations, depending by selected threshold, can be reached by somatic cells count (sensibility and specificity of 41% and 88%, respectively, with cutoff of 100’000 cells/ml; 25,6% and 100% with that one of 200’000 cells/ml). At present, between the investigated diagnostic test, no association can be considered an efficient alternative to the gold standard for mastitis diagnosis, created for dairy cow and also used in Mediterranean Buffalo, represented by combined used of somatic cells count and bacteriological milk culture.