title: Prevalence of high somatic cell counts in bulk tank goat milk.
abstract: Higher SCC have been observed in goat milk than in cow milk. This study evaluated the prevalence of high SCC and determined whether increased neutrophils were a factor in high SCC. Bulk tank goat milk samples were collected from commercial dairy goat herds in California, Arkansas, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Total SCC were determined using a Fossomatic Electronic Cell Counter and microscopically using pyronin Y-methyl green stain. Differential counts were determined using Wright's-stained cytospin centrifuge preparations. Average SCC were high (6.12 log10 cells/ml; geometric mean, 1.32 x 10(6) cells/ml). The average of the Fossomatic and direct microscopic SCC indicated that 8.6% of the producers had SCC < .75 x 10(6) cells/ml and that 34.5% were < 1 x 10(6) cells/ml. The current goat milk SCC standard is 1 x 10(6) cells/ml; the cow milk SCC standard will be .75 x 10(6) cells/ml in 1993. Milk samples contained 9.9% macrophages, 2.8% lymphocytes, and 87% neutrophils. These data indicate that high SCC were prevalent and that increased neutrophils contributed to high SCC in the bulk tank goat milk.
authors: Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705.
authors: E A
authors: EA
authors: Droke
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Paape
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Di Carlo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology; D008892:Milk / Q000166:cytology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology