Author(s): Quintas, Helder ; Mateus, Óscar ; Maurício, Raimundo ; Mendonça, Álvaro ; Alegria, Nuno ; Valentim, Ramiro
Date: 2019
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/21625
Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Subject(s): Goat mastitis; Somatic cell count
Goat milk production is a dynamic industry and a substantial part of farm income to Serrana breeders. Subclinical mastitis is common and one of the most important diseases in dairy goat production with negative impact on animal and human health. Moreover, is responsible for high economic losses. The fight against subclinical mastitis requires the implementation of surveillance and control programs. Several methods to diagnose subclinical mastitis are available but Serrana goat farmers would mainly benefit from cheap and efficient diagnostic methods, as well as from diagnostic tools that can be used at the farm level. The aim of the research presented in this work was to evaluate somatic cell count (SCC) as a monitoring tool of subclinical mastitis in Serrana goats. This study had mainly two objectives: (i) determine the influence of infectious and non-infectious factors (parity, stage of lactation, production level and number of kids born or weaned) in the SCC; and (ii) propose a physiological threshold of SCC in Serrana goats.
