Abstract
The aim of the present study was to test infrared thermography (IRT), under field conditions, as a possible tool for the evaluation of cow udder health status. Thermographic images (n. 310) from different farms (n. 3) were collected and evaluated using a dedicated software application to calculate automatically and in a standardized way, thermographic indices of each udder. Results obtained have confirmed a significant relationship between udder surface skin temperature (USST) and classes of somatic cell count in collected milk samples. Sensitivity and specificity in the classification of udder health were: 78.6% and 77.9%, respectively, considering a level of somatic cell count (SCC) of 200,000 cells/mL as a threshold to classify a subclinical mastitis or 71.4% and 71.6%, respectively when a threshold of 400,000 cells/mL was adopted. Even though the sensitivity and specificity were lower than in other published papers dealing with non-automated analysis of IRT images, they were considered acceptable as a first field application of this new and developing technology. Future research will permit further improvements in the use of IRT, at farm level. Such improvements could be attained through further image processing and enhancement, and the application of indicators developed and tested in the present study with the purpose of developing a monitoring system for the automatic and early detection of mastitis in individual animals on commercial farms.
Highlights
In dairy farming, the monitoring of udder health status plays an important role in the production of milk [1]
The study was carried out in January 2018. It involved 155 dairy cows reared in three different medium size farms located in the Lombardy region (North of Italy)
Barth et al [40], in a study conducted on 6 cows followed for 8 days, found that udder surface skin temperature (USST) increase when measured on quarters characterized by somatic cell count (SCC) higher than 100,000 cell/mL
Summary
The monitoring of udder health status plays an important role in the production of milk [1]. Mastitis is the most frequent disease that can affect the health status of the udder and the quantity and quality of milk yielded. Methods, and devices have been developed to reach this goal. Some of these, such the somatic cell count (SCC), the bacteriological examination of milk samples (BAC), the DeLaval Cell Counter (DCC) or the California Mastitis Test (CMT) are laboratory analysis, or portable devices, not routinely applicable in the monitoring of animals’ health on-farm due to the costs and time requirements [3]. Others are indicators that can be Sensors 2018, 18, 862; doi:10.3390/s18030862 www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors
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