Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats

Mastitis, mainly caused by contagious bacteria, is an important disease in dairy goat production, especially subclinical mastitis. The aim of the research was to study the relationship between somatic cell count (SCC) and presence of mastitis pathogens in goat milk during the period 2022-2024. A tot...

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Main Authors: Barbora Gancárová, Kristína Tvarožková, Michal Uhrinčať, Lucia Mačuhová, Juliana Mačuhová, Vladimír Tančin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:Czech Journal of Animal Science
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Online Access:https://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjs-202501-0003_somatic-cells-and-bacteriological-examination-of-milk-samples-of-goats.php
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author Barbora Gancárová
Kristína Tvarožková
Michal Uhrinčať
Lucia Mačuhová
Juliana Mačuhová
Vladimír Tančin
author_facet Barbora Gancárová
Kristína Tvarožková
Michal Uhrinčať
Lucia Mačuhová
Juliana Mačuhová
Vladimír Tančin
author_sort Barbora Gancárová
collection DOAJ
description Mastitis, mainly caused by contagious bacteria, is an important disease in dairy goat production, especially subclinical mastitis. The aim of the research was to study the relationship between somatic cell count (SCC) and presence of mastitis pathogens in goat milk during the period 2022-2024. A total of 987 udder-half milk samples were obtained from 5 goat farms in Slovakia. The presence of pathogens was determined by bacterial cultivation and grown colonies were identified by MALDI-TOF MS at the species level. Fossomatic 7 was used to determine SCC. To evaluate the frequency distribution of the samples, the following groups of SCC were considered: SCC1 < 500 × 103 cells/ml, SCC2 ≥ 500 < 1 000 × 103 cells/ml, SCC3 ≥ 1 000 < 2 000 × 103 cells/ml, SCC4 ≥ 2 000 × 103 cells/ml. The individual milk sample were 42.2% in SCC1, 17.0% in SCC2, 16.7% and 24.0% in SCC3 and SCC4, respectively. Of the total number of samples, 23.0% were bacteriologically positive. The most frequently identified pathogens were Staphylococcus spp., especially non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM). Among the NASM, Staphylococcus epidermidis (40.3%), Staphylococcus caprae (27.5%) and Staphylococcus simulans (10.4%) were the most prevalent species. Only 2 samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. A higher occurrence of pathogens was identified in SCC ≥ 1 000 × 103 cells/ml (SCC3 and SCC4) compared to SCC < 1 000 × 103 cells/ml (SCC1 and SCC2). However, approximately 34.8% of uninfected half udders with no bacteriological findings had SCC ≥ 1 000 × 103 cells/ml. In conclusion, NASM were the most common bacterial causative agents of subclinical mastitis in goats and it is not easy to set a specific SCC for subclinical mastitis diagnosis as it is in dairy cows.
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issn 1212-1819
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language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
record_format Article
series Czech Journal of Animal Science
spelling doaj-art-d24ab6166da6413ea72d2cc6881268002025-08-20T02:45:15ZengCzech Academy of Agricultural SciencesCzech Journal of Animal Science1212-18191805-93092025-01-01701263210.17221/163/2024-CJAScjs-202501-0003Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goatsBarbora Gancárová0Kristína Tvarožková1Michal Uhrinčať2Lucia Mačuhová3Juliana Mačuhová4Vladimír Tančin5Institute of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak RepublicInstitute of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak RepublicResearch Institute for AnimalProduction Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak RepublicResearch Institute for AnimalProduction Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak RepublicInstitute for Agricultural Engineering and Animal Husbandry, Freising, GermanyInstitute of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak RepublicMastitis, mainly caused by contagious bacteria, is an important disease in dairy goat production, especially subclinical mastitis. The aim of the research was to study the relationship between somatic cell count (SCC) and presence of mastitis pathogens in goat milk during the period 2022-2024. A total of 987 udder-half milk samples were obtained from 5 goat farms in Slovakia. The presence of pathogens was determined by bacterial cultivation and grown colonies were identified by MALDI-TOF MS at the species level. Fossomatic 7 was used to determine SCC. To evaluate the frequency distribution of the samples, the following groups of SCC were considered: SCC1 < 500 × 103 cells/ml, SCC2 ≥ 500 < 1 000 × 103 cells/ml, SCC3 ≥ 1 000 < 2 000 × 103 cells/ml, SCC4 ≥ 2 000 × 103 cells/ml. The individual milk sample were 42.2% in SCC1, 17.0% in SCC2, 16.7% and 24.0% in SCC3 and SCC4, respectively. Of the total number of samples, 23.0% were bacteriologically positive. The most frequently identified pathogens were Staphylococcus spp., especially non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM). Among the NASM, Staphylococcus epidermidis (40.3%), Staphylococcus caprae (27.5%) and Staphylococcus simulans (10.4%) were the most prevalent species. Only 2 samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. A higher occurrence of pathogens was identified in SCC ≥ 1 000 × 103 cells/ml (SCC3 and SCC4) compared to SCC < 1 000 × 103 cells/ml (SCC1 and SCC2). However, approximately 34.8% of uninfected half udders with no bacteriological findings had SCC ≥ 1 000 × 103 cells/ml. In conclusion, NASM were the most common bacterial causative agents of subclinical mastitis in goats and it is not easy to set a specific SCC for subclinical mastitis diagnosis as it is in dairy cows.https://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjs-202501-0003_somatic-cells-and-bacteriological-examination-of-milk-samples-of-goats.phpgoat's milkhealthmastitispathogensudder
spellingShingle Barbora Gancárová
Kristína Tvarožková
Michal Uhrinčať
Lucia Mačuhová
Juliana Mačuhová
Vladimír Tančin
Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
Czech Journal of Animal Science
goat'
s milk
health
mastitis
pathogens
udder
title Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
title_full Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
title_fullStr Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
title_full_unstemmed Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
title_short Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
title_sort somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats
topic goat'
s milk
health
mastitis
pathogens
udder
url https://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjs-202501-0003_somatic-cells-and-bacteriological-examination-of-milk-samples-of-goats.php
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AT michaluhrincat somaticcellsandbacteriologicalexaminationofmilksamplesofgoats
AT luciamacuhova somaticcellsandbacteriologicalexaminationofmilksamplesofgoats
AT julianamacuhova somaticcellsandbacteriologicalexaminationofmilksamplesofgoats
AT vladimirtancin somaticcellsandbacteriologicalexaminationofmilksamplesofgoats