Abstract
Received: 2018-05-07 | Accepted: 2018-05-14 | Available online: 2018-11-26 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2018.21.04.149-151 The physiological values of SCC in sheep's milk are still under discussion. The aim of study was to describe the frequency of distribution of ewes on the basis of their individual SCC. The ewes were divided into the five SCC groups (somatic cell count) on the basis of individual SCC (G1 = SCC <200Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 , G2= SCC between 200-400Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 , G3 = SCC between 400-600Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 , G4= SCC between 600-1000Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 and G5 = SCC >1000Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 ). Totally 771 samples were collected from 90 ewes throughout both milking periods from one experimental herd with minimum four milking records per year in 2016 and 2017. On the basis of SCS throughout lactation the most ewes were in the first two SCC groups (below 400Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 ) in 2016 and 2017 (78.89% and 83.33%, respectively). 13 animals (8 SD-Slovak dairy sheep, 5 LC-Lacaune) and 12 animals (4 SD, 8 LC) were in SCC groups over >600Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Our results significantly contribute to the possible consideration of physiological limits for sheep milk because of the highest percentage of ewes was with less than 400Ã10 3 cells.ml -1 .  Keywords:  ewe, milk, somatic cell counts References Arias, R., Oliete, B., Ramón, M., Arias, C., Gallego, R., Montoro, V., Pérez-Guzmán, M. D. (2012) Long-term study of environmental effects on test-day somatic cell count and milk yield in Manchega sheep. Small Ruminant Research, 106 (2), 92-97. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.03.019 Bergonier, D., De Crémoux, R., Rupp, R., Lagriffoul, G., Berthelot, X. (2003) Mastitis of dairy small ruminants. Veterinary Research , 34 (5), 689-716. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/vetres:2003030 Contreras, A., Sierra, D., Sánchez, Z. A., Corrales, J. C., Marco, J.C., Paape, M. J., Gonzalo, C. (2007)Mastitis in small ruminants. Small Ruminant Research , 68 (1-2), 145-153.  DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2006.09.011 Idriss, S. E., TanÄin, V., MargetÃn, M., TanÄinová, D., Sláma, P., HavlÃÄek, Z. (2015) Frequency of distribution of somatic cell count in dairy ewe's milk. Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, 4 (3), 148-151. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15414/jmbfs.2015.4.special3.148-151 Leitner, G., Chaffer, M., Zamir, S., Mor, T., Glickman, A., Winkler, M., Weisblit, L., Saran, A. (2001) Udder disease etiology, milk somatic cell counts and NAGase activity in Israeli Assaf sheep throughout lactation. Small Ruminant Research , 39 (2), 107-112. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0921-4488(00)00190-5 Leitner, G., Silanikove, N., Merin, U.(2008) Estimate of milk and curd yield loss of sheep and goats with intrammamary infection and its relation to somatic cell count. Small Ruminant Research, 74 (3), 221-225. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2007.02.009 Olechnowicz, J., Jaskowski, J. M. (2014) Mastitis in small ruminants. Medycyna Weterynaryjna/ Veterinary Medicine - Science And Practice, 70 (2), 67-72. Paape, M. J., Wiggans, G. R., Bannerman, D. D., Thomas, D. L., Sanders, A. H., Contreras, A., Moroni, P., Miller, R. H. (2007) Monitoring goat and sheep milk somatic cell counts. Small Ruminant Research , 68 (1-2), 114-125.DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2006.09.014 Pengov, A. (2001)The Role of Coagulase- Negative Staphylococcus spp. and Associated Somatic Cell Counts in the Ovine Mammary Gland. Journal of Dairy Science, 84(3), 572-574. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(01)74509-2 Riggio, V., Portolano, B. (2015) Genetic selection for reduced somatic cell counts in sheep milk: A review. Small Ruminant Research , 126 (10), 33-42. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.01.020 Souza, F. N., Blagitz, M. G., Penna, C. F. A. M., Della Libera, A.M. M. P., Heinemann, M. B., Cerqueira, M.M.O.P. (2012)Somaticcellcount in smallruminants: Friend or foe?Small Ruminant Research , 107 (2-3), 65-75. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.04.005 TanÄin, V., BaranoviÄ, Å ., UhrinÄaÅ¥, M., MaÄuhová, L., VrÅ¡ková, M., Oravcová, M. (2017a) Somatic cell count in raw ewes milk in dairy practice: frequency of distribution and possible effect on milk yield and composition. Mljekarstvo , 67 (4), 253-260. TanÄin, V., UhrinÄaÅ¥, M., MaÄuhová, L., BaranoviÄ, Å ., VrÅ¡ková, M.(2017b) Somatic cell count in milk of individual Lacaune ewes under practical conditions in Slovakia: Possible effect on milk yield and its composition. Potravinarstvo â Slovak Journal of Food Sciences, 11 (1), 386-390. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.5219/767 VrÅ¡ková, V., TanÄin, V., Kirchnerová, K., Sláma, P. (2015) Evaluation of daily milk production in Tsigai ewes by somatic cell count. Potravinarstvo â Slovak Journal of Food Sciences, 9 (1), 206-210. DOI : https://dx.doi.org/10.5219/439
Highlights
A serious health and economic problem in dairy sheep is mastitis, which causes economic and breeding losses
Data shown in figure 2 presents frequency of distribution of animals in different months of milk recording in 2016 and 2017, respectively
In both years the most of the ewes were in somatic cell count (SCC) group below 400 × 103 cells.ml-1 indicating a good individual udder health of studied ewes
Summary
A serious health and economic problem in dairy sheep is mastitis, which causes economic and breeding losses. SCC in the milk of individual dairy sheep can be used as an indicator of husbandry and milking hygiene, the welfare of animals, but especially the udder health and the presence of subclinical mastitis. Pengov (2001) determined a limit value for physiological SCC in sheep milk of 250 × 103 cells.ml-1. Leitner et al (2008) established a limit for uninfected milk samples of sheep at 250 × 103 cells.ml-1. Tančin et al (2017b) revealed that main part of individual milk samples had SCC below 600 × 103 cells.ml-1. Despite non-pathogenic factors, intramammary infection is the main cause of SCC increase in sheep milk (Leitner et al, 2001; Bergonier et al, 2003; Paape et al, 2007; Souza et al, 2012). If high level of somatic cells per lactation could affect somatic cells during following lactation
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