Use of somatic cell count as an indicator of colostrum quality

• Published in: PloS one 2020-08, Vol.15 (8), p.e0237615-e0237615
• Main Authors: Puppel, Kamila, Golebiewski, Marcin, Grodkowski, Grzegorz, Solarczyk, Pawel, Kostusiak, Piotr, Klopcic, Maria, Sakowski, Tomasz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal sciences; Bacteria; Biology and Life Sciences; Cattle; Chemical properties; Colostrum; Dairy cattle; Dairy farms; E coli; Experiments; Fatty acids; Health aspects; Housing; Immunoglobulins; Lactation; Life sciences; Lysozyme; Mammary gland; Mammary glands; Mastitis; Measurement; Medicine and Health Sciences; Milk; Milking; Mortality; Organic farming; Proteins; Quality; Solvents; Somatic cells; Veterinary research; Zoology
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237615

The impact of cow mammary gland diseases on the quality of colostrum is not conclusively defined; research results are conflicting. However, it is widely believed that mastitis lowers the level of immunoglobulins and the quality of the colostrum produced. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of somatic cell counts (SCC) on the colostrum immunostimulating and chemical components. The experiment was conducted on an experimental organic dairy farm in which a herd of approximately 250 cows was kept in a freestall housing system, with the average performance exceeding 6,000 kg of milk per lactation. Colostrum and milk samples were taken individually from each cow seven times during the experiment: from the first to second day after calving-twice per day, and from the third to fifth day after calving-once per day. Therefore, after preliminary analyses, the cows were divided into two groups based on the cytological quality of their colostrum at the first collection: 1. SCC [less than or equal to]400,000 cells/ml (good quality colostrum; GCC- 18 cows), 2. SCC [greater than or equal to] 400,000 cells/ml (low quality colostrum; LCC- 22 cows). The study found almost double the concentration of immunoglobulins and essential fatty acids in first milking colostrum in the GCC group than in colostrum from the LCC group. In addition, an increase in the concentration of lysozyme in first milking colostrum was associated with a decrease in the concentration of immunoglobulins. In addition, the increase in the level of lysozyme was associated with a decrease in the concentration of immunoglobulins. In conclusion, the SCC of first milking colostrum can be used as an indicator of colostrum quality.