Invited review: Evaluation of teat disinfectant efficacy studies from 2014 to 2026. A systematic review.

Milking-time test indicators reveal links between vacuum dynamics, milk-flow patterns, and milk-quality traits in commercial Holstein herds.

The present study investigated the relationship between udder and teat morphometric characteristics and milk yield in Murrah buffaloes. Forty-five healthy buffaloes were selected and classified into four udder conformations bowl, pendulous, goaty, and globular, while teat shapes were classified as cylindrical, conical, funnel, bottle, or pear. Detailed morphometric measurements, including udder width, height, depths, teat dimensions, and inter-teat distances, were systematically collected from early to mid-lactation, and milk yields were recorded throughout. Globular and bowl-shaped udders had numerically higher total and peak milk outputs than pendulous and goaty udders, however the differences were not statistically significant. Cylindrical teats were associated with the greatest milk production, whereas irregular shapes such as pear or conical yielded less. Positive correlations were established between milk yield and several morphometric parameters, especially udder width and depths, as well as teat lengths, indicating their influence on productive performance. Conversely, greater distances between teats tended to be negatively correlated with milk yield, suggesting that optimal spatial arrangement enhances milking efficiency. These associations varied by udder shape category, emphasizing the importance of balanced mammary development and coordinated teat structure. The study underscores the utility of integrating udder and teat morphometry into breeding and selection programs as a cost-effective means to enhance milk production potential in buffaloes. Selective emphasis on favourable conformation traits, particularly globular or bowl udders and cylindrical teats, alongside key dimensional measurements, offers a practical strategy to achieve improved productivity and udder health in dairy buffalo herds.

Optimized flow cytometry for differential somatic cell count in goat milk: Implications for milk quality and udder health

Clinical mastitis (CM) is a complex disease, causing substantial losses to the dairy industry. Observed CM is a binary trait, and due to its low incidence, genetic evaluation is challenging. In contrast, SCC are measured on a regular basis and may aid in the genetic evaluation of udder health. Determining the genetic architecture of udder health traits at different risk stages during production is necessary for developing genetic evaluations. The objectives of the current study were to estimate genetic parameters for 9 udder health traits (1) CM at 2 risk stages (early and late lactation) and at 3 lactations (6 traits total), and for (2) SCC at 3 lactations (3 traits total). Clinical mastitis and SCC records for Holstein (HOL), Nordic Red dairy cattle (RDC), and Jersey (JER) cows were available. Traits corresponding to SCC were modeled using random regression. Variance components for a sire model were estimated using Monte Carlo expectation-maximization REML. Incidence of CM was, in general, low for all breeds but was lowest at the first lactation and highest at the third lactation. Similarly, heritability estimates for individual lactations and periods were very low, ranging from 0.73% to 3.48% for HOL, 1.62% to 3.39% for RDC, and 1.11% to 2.82% for JER. Estimates of heritability for SCC were moderately low but increased toward the end of the lactation. These ranged from 7% to 14% for HOL, 9% to 14% for the RDC, and 7% to 12% for JER. Genetic correlations among CM traits were, in general, higher between successive CM events and ranged from 0.30 to 0.97 for all breeds. Similarly, genetic correlations for SCC among lactations were high (>0.80) for all breeds. Furthermore, genetic correlations between CM and SCC traits ranged from 0.41 to 0.78 for HOL, from 0.27 to 0.66 for RDC, and from 0.29 to 0.69 for JER. Although the heritability estimates for CM traits were low for all the breeds considered, the moderate to high genetic correlations with SCC traits should enhance genetic evaluation of CM.

Colostrum somatic cell counts and their association with the bacterial microbiota at udder quarter level in Simmental cows.

Effects of productive lifespan on phenotypic lifetime daily milk yield in dairy cows: conclusions from 20-year herdbook data analysis.

The observational prospective study assesses the clinical utility of the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and electrical conductivity (EC) for mastitis diagnosis in Mediterranean buffaloes, for the first time. A total of 600 quarter-milk samples were aseptically collected from randomly selected, multiparous Mediterranean buffaloes. All samples were submitted to the reference laboratory for SCC and bacteriological milk culture (BMC), which served as the gold standard (GS), whereas the CMT and EC were recorded and performed on-farm immediately after milking. Based on the GS results, quarters were classified as mastitis cases when an inflammatory response (SCC > 200 × 103 cells/mL) was associated with a bacteriological positivity with or without obvious clinical signs. Quarters without concurrent inflammatory response were classified as nonmastitis cases, regardless of bacteriological findings. For the validation both EC and CMT were compared with SCC as the benchmark test. Thereafter, CMT and EC were compared with the GS to assess their ability to correctly identify udder health status both independently and associated with BMC as potential alternatives to the use of SCC in field. Overall, 134 mastitis cases and 466 nonmastitis cases were detected. For the diagnostic validation (CMT and EC vs. SCC) the Cohen's kappa revealed a significant n agreement of 0.51 and 0.27 for CMT and EC, respectively. An area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.97 for CMT and 0.75 for EC was calculated, with accuracy values of 0.76 for CMT and 0.73 for EC. Sensitivity (Se) was 0.97 for CMT and 0.45 for EC, and specificity (Sp) was 0.69 for CMT and 0.82 for EC. The positive likelihood ratio (LR+) was 3.15 for CMT and 2.45 for EC, and the negative likelihood ratio (LR-) was 0.04 for CMT and 0.68 for EC. When both tests were compared with the GS (CMT and EC vs. GS), the Se was 0.97 for CMT and 0.46 for EC, whereas the Sp was 0.67 for CMT and 0.81 for EC, with accuracies of 0.74 for CMT and 0.73 for EC were detected. The LR+ values were 2.92 for CMT and 2.41 for EC, with LR- values of 0.04 for CMT and 0.67 for EC. Finally, when both the tests were combined with BMC (CMT+BMC and EC+BMC vs. GS), The sensitivity was 0.97 for CMT and 0.46 for EC, and specificity was 0.74 for CMT and 0.89 for EC, with an accuracy of 0.79 for both tests were observed. The LR+ was 3.77 for CMT and 4.00 for EC, and LR- values were 0.04 for CMT and 0.61 for EC. The CMT demonstrated better performance as diagnostic tools for mastitis cases, with a higher AUC and sensitivity, as compared with EC. In contrast, the latter seems to be useful for confirming the absence of mastitis due to its high-er specificity. Neither test alone should be relied upon for definitive diagnosis; a combination with BMC seems to improve their diagnostic performance, but CMT consistently outperformed EC.

New insights into subclinical mastitis in buffaloes: B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography, molecular expression and clinicopathological correlates.

Relationship between hygienic management practices of smallholder dairy farms and the distribution of Gram-negative mastitis pathogens along with their antibiogram in Bangladesh

Quantifying the causal impact of diseases on lactation features in Holstein cattle based on causal inference approaches.

Despite implementing preventive measures, mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus remains a significant challenge in Swedish dairy farming, and an efficient vaccine against mastitis is still sought. In this research article, results from a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of a novel experimental vaccine against S. aureus-induced mastitis in a Swedish dairy herd with continuous calving are presented. The vaccine was formulated with NanoQuil adjuvant and formalin-fixed S. aureus antigen. The trial was conducted as a comparative study in which previously unvaccinated cows were vaccinated before calving with either the experimental vaccine or a commercially available control vaccine (Startvac). Milk yield and somatic cell count (SCC) were the primary evaluation criteria. Data from the Swedish Official Milk Recording Scheme were used in the analysis of infection rates and herd udder health. In total, data from 144 cows across 199 lactation periods were evaluated. The two vaccine groups did not exhibit any significant differences in milk yield, and there were only minor, inconsistent differences in SCC between the treatments. However, the overall herd udder health evidently improved after the introduction of the control and treatment vaccines. No difference in the rate of new infections, as indicated by SCC increases above a threshold of 150000 cells/ml between samplings, was recorded between the experimental groups. In contrast, the rate of new infections during the dry period tended to be lower. The recovery rate tended to be higher for cows vaccinated with the experimental vaccine, although not statistically significant.

Estimation of individual somatic cell counts using single-nucleotide polymorphisms from bulk milk samples.

This study investigated the annual culling rate and its main causes on dairy farms in the central region of Santa Fe, Argentina. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2025 on 77 farms located in the central dairy region of Santa Fe province, Argentina (Castellanos and Las Colonias departments). On each farm, an in-person survey was conducted with the farm manager. Information was collected regarding the farm demographics, the number of culls and mortalities and the causes of culling. The average annual total culling rate for pasture-based systems was 22.3% (range: 10-34%), while for confined systems it was 31% (range: 22-54%). The proportion of cows culled in pasture-based systems was 15.6% (range: 2-30%) compared to 23.6% (range: 14-43%) in confined systems. The annual mortality rate in pasture-based systems was 6.7% (range: 2-20%), while in confined systems it was 7.4% (range: 4-17%). The main causes of culling were reproductive problems, udder health issues, hoof diseases, infectious diseases and low milk production. The main causes of mortality on the farms were traumatic injuries, infectious diseases, mastitis and metabolic disorders, among others. Average cow longevity in pasture-based systems was 4.3 (range: 2-9) lactations compared to 2.9 (range: 1.4-4) lactations in confined systems. Productivity, animal welfare and dairy herd longevity are shaped primarily by management practices rather than by production system type alone, and both pasture-based and confined systems can be optimized to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Composition, coagulation properties, and cheese-making traits of sheep bulk milk as affected by individual and clustered farm descriptors.

Integrated multi-omics reveals that replacing corn silage with triticale silage improves milk quality via rumen microbiome-metabolome crosstalk in dairy cows.

Somatic cell count (SCC) in milk is widely used as an indicator of intramammary infections in dairy sheep and is routinely monitored by the dairy industry as a marker of milk quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SCC levels on milk production, composition, colour, coagulation properties, and cheese-making ability in Manchega dairy sheep. A total of 752 individual milk samples were analysed. To normalise SCC distribution, the somatic cell score (SCS) was calculated and samples were classified into SCS classes. Increasing SCS significantly reduced daily milk yield and lactose content, increased milk pH, and decreased lightness (L*). Higher SCS was also associated with impaired coagulation properties, including longer rennet clotting time (RCT) and curd firming rate (k20), as well as reduced curd firmness (A30, A60). Similar effects were observed for modelled coagulation parameters, with delayed RCTeq and reduced kCF and CFp. Regarding cheese-making ability, SCS significantly affected curd humidity and protein recovery, whereas no significant effects were detected for dry curd yield or fat recovery. Overall, elevated somatic cell counts were associated with a reduction in the technological quality of Manchega sheep milk, particularly affecting coagulation behaviour and curd characteristics. These results underline the importance of controlling SCC levels in dairy sheep systems for both udder health monitoring and maintaining milk suitability for cheese-making.

Milk cells are mirrors of mammary health and immune responses in dairy cows. However, their specific physiological or pathological significance in cows with high somatic cell count (SCC) remains poorly understood. Dysregulation of milk cell physiology may contribute to inflammatory responses and impact mammary health and milk production. By investigating the composition and function of milk cells in high and low SCC cows, our study aimed to identify SCC-associated biological processes in the mammary gland. Sixteen animals were divided as two groups, SCC-h group (n = 8, milk SCC > 200 × 103/mL) and SCC-l group (n = 8, milk SCC < 100 × 103/mL). The milk performance traits of dairy cows were assessed, and RNA sequencing of milk cells was conducted. Metabolomic analysis was performed to identify 'find-me' signals associated with efferocytosis. The expression patterns of genes involved in apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death, actin remodelling and efferocytosis were analysed. The protein levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory genes and nuclear receptors were determined. The immune microenvironment in milk cells was also dissected to understand the dysregulation in high SCC cows. The results showed increased expressions of key genes associated with apoptosis, necroptosis and pyroptosis in the high SCC group. However, the 'find-me' signals and 'eat-me' signals in the high SCC group were reduced compared with the low SCC group. Therefore, the protein levels of IL-1β and nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFκB1) levels were increased, whereas the protein level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was decreased in high SCC group. These results demonstrated an enhanced pro-inflammatory signalling and altered immune microenvironment of milk cells in high SCC group. The high SCC group showed higher proportions of various types of immune cells, including dendritic cell, neutrophil and CD8+ T cell, indicating a pro-inflammatory immune microenvironment. Our study highlights the dysregulation of efferocytosis and immune microenvironment in milk cells of high SCC cows, potentially contributing to chronic inflammation and impaired mammary gland health. Reviving proper efferocytic function and rebalancing the immune microenvironment are essential for enhancing disease management and improving dairy cow welfare and productivity. Understanding the significance of milk cells in udder health can facilitate targeted interventions to optimise milk production and maintain mammary health in dairy farming.

Bovine mastitis is a common inflammatory disease that can progress to mammary fibrosis, thereby impairing udder health, milk yield, and milk quality. This study investigated the protective effects of palmatine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bovine mammary epithelial cells and mammary fibrosis in mice, as well as the underlying mechanisms. In vitro, palmatine markedly reversed LPS-induced EMT by increasing E-cadherin expression and decreasing N-cadherin and α-SMA expression. In vivo, palmatine alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition in mammary tissue and reduced the expression of TGF-β1, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, p-p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. These findings suggest that palmatine alleviates LPS-induced mammary fibrosis, possibly through inhibition of the NF-κB/TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway, and may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of mammary fibrosis.

Background/Objectives:Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) intramammary infection remains a major global dairy problem due to its contagious nature, its ability to persist and colonize teat/skin and mucosal niches, and the often-limited bacteriological cure achieved with antimicrobial therapy. Beyond udder health, it is relevant to public health because it can enter raw milk chains and serve as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance determinants that may circulate between dairy animals and humans. Methods: We assessed S. aureus' ecology in raw ewe milk from 75 sheep farms in Epirus (Greece) by sampling clinically healthy controls (group A) and clinical mastitis cases pre-treatment (group B), followed by resampling at the first post-withdrawal milking after penicillin/streptomycin treatment (group C1-therapeutic protocol 1), oxytetracycline treatment (group C2-therapeutic protocol 2), or enrofloxacin treatment (group C3-therapeutic protocol 3). Results:S. aureus detection was high and comparable across groups (A 23.0%, B 22.0-30.0%, C 20.0-22.0%), and paired analyses showed no significant pre-post shifts in detection/burden within therapeutic protocols (all p > 0.05). Nevertheless, persistence remained evident. The chromosomal gene mecA was detected in S. aureus strains in all groups, ranging from 13.6% in controls to 54.5% post-withdrawal in group C1, and was also present in the pre-treatment group. In paired sampling animals, mecA was mostly stable, with rare emergence or loss. Across antibiotic classes, within-animal resistance transitions were generally uncommon and non-significant (p > 0.05); β-lactam resistance was fully stable (p = 1.00). Descriptively, resistance to protein synthesis inhibitors tended to decline after therapy in protocol 1 and protocol 3, while protocol 3 showed post-treatment gains in fluoroquinolone resistance. By contrast, virulence-associated phenotype traits shifted after therapy: enterotoxigenicity increased post-withdrawal (especially in the C3 group), Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A (SEA) and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) appeared only post-therapy, Staphylococcal Enterotoxin D (SED) increased significantly in paired isolates (p = 0.002), and strong biofilm adherence increased (in C3, p = 1.5 × 10-5). Conclusions: The detection of S. aureus after therapy suggests that one possibility is that antimicrobial exposure may select for, or otherwise reshape, the residual intramammary population, rather than reliably eliminating it-an outcome that remains clinically relevant for udder health. Moreover, the persistence of mecA/methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-compatible profiles indicates that milk released to the food chain after withdrawal compliance may still harbor S. aureus with enhanced preservation capacity and significant food safety relevance.