Persistence patterns of bacterial outcomes and somatic cell counts in Dutch cow’s milk related to Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Mastitis in dairy is a big problem in animal welfare as it is in economic perspective. Staphtylococcus aureus is a major pathogen causing mastitis in cattle. Milk of 130 multiparous cows was sampled three times: at dry off, within 24 hours post partum and between 7 and 21 days in lactation. Bacterial investigation and somatic cell count was done on these samples. There is no relation between somatic cell count at dry off and at 7-21 days of lactation. In lactation a positive relation was visible between high somatic cell count and bacterial outcomes, this was not so clear at dry off. Most of the bacterial positivity was found after calving. Persistence of the same bacteria in the same cow at subsequent moments of sampling could not be concluded since no genotyping was used.