Stepan Lyhosherst, Ukrainian Dairy Association consultant on veterinary

Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder, which is almost always caused by bacterial infection. The disease is called «clinical mastitis» if you see signs of the disease: for example, swelling or redness of the udder quarters or visible changes of milk (clots, flakes, color change).

Mastitis is subclinical, if there are no visible signs of illness, but in the milk analysis we see an increased somatic cells count. If somatic cells count (SCC) is ≥ 1,500 thousand/ml, this form of subclinical mastitis must be treated.

In many households very often subclinical mastitis in the initial form is not diagnosed, and therefore — not treated. Only apparent clinical forms of mastitis are treated. It leads to the fact that the quarter of the udder, which was affected by mastitis, loses up to 30% performance and especially in neglected cases — atrophies. On one side, ignoring subclinical mastitis is very beneficial, because we reduce the cost of medicines. But, unfortunately, it is an illusion. Let's explain why:

1.  about one third of subclinical mastitis change into clinical form, which still needs to be treated;
2. clinical mastitis treatment less effective and often results in atrophy of the quarter of the udder;
3. treatment of clinical mastitis is longer, so the cost of drugs is more expensive and more milk is sorted out;
4. subclinical mastitis in itself lead to poor performance. There is a direct relationship between the somatic cells count in milk and reduced milk yield (Table 1);
5. increased SCC in milk reduces the purchase price for milk.

Good example of how clinical and subclinical mastitis are promptly detected and treated we can see from the experience of “Zolota Nyva”" (Balabanovka village, Orativskyy district,Vinnitsaregion). Cooperation with the household started in February 2011, at the same time the incidence of mastitis in this sector was high and, unfortunately, typical for many dairy farms in Ukraine, from 35% to 62 cows were suffering from it.

 Read the full version in the magazine “Milk and Farm” № 3 (6) September 2011