Exploring the impact of biosecurity measures on somatic cell score in mountain dairy farms considering the CLASSYFARM system

• Published in: Animal (Cambridge, England) England), 2024-06, Vol.18 (6), p.101188, Article 101188
• Main Authors: Zanon, T., Holighaus, L., Alrhmoun, M., Kemper, N., Gauly, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CLASSYFARM; Dairy cow; Index; Milk quality; Udder health
• ISSN: 1751-7311; 1751-732X; 1751-732X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101188

•The study assessed the relationship between biosecurity measures and somatic cells.•A negative association between biosecurity and somatic cells in milk was observed.•Little variation between breeds regarding somatic cells and biosecurity was detected.•Somatic cells were higher in farms using a milking robot.•Biosecurity measures should be better implemented on mountain dairy farms. Biosecurity plays a crucial role in preventing the introduction of infectious diseases to a herd as well as the spread of diseases within or between animals and herds. In particular, biosecurity measures are crucial for maintaining animal health and reducing the need for the application of antibiotic substances for fighting the rising antibiotic resistance. The object of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the presence of biosecurity measures and their association with milk quality parameters, with a special focus on somatic cell count (SCC) − an indicator for udder health −, in small-scale mountain dairy farms. Therefore, for the very first time, the CLASSYFARM system was considered, which is a computer platform integrated into the Italian national veterinary portal, that processes a significant amount of data from various sources collected in the field or from other information systems (e.g. animal welfare, health status, biosecurity, antimicrobial use, slaughterhouse information). A total of 169 dairy farms were included in the study. Biosecurity measures, based on 15 questions required in the CLASSYFARM welfare assessment protocol, as well as information about husbandry systems, milking systems and pasture practices were gathered and combined with milk yield data, provided by the South Tyrolean dairy association. Farms only scored 44.00 points on average in a scoring system from 0.00 to 100.00 points that was be able to summarize 15 different biosecurity measures in one index. Our results show a clear negative correlation (−0.713) between the biosecurity index and somatic cell score (SCS) indicating that a higher level of biosecurity, which reflects the presence of biosecurity measures within a farm, is associated with lower SCC levels. Furthermore, we found significant correlations between SCS and milk production (−0.629), confirming that udder health is linked to higher milk production. Fat, protein, and the fat-to-protein ratio showed a positive correlation with SCS (0.281, 0.146, 0.106), likely to be caused by a concentration shift effect (dilution effect). H