Somatic cell count in dairy goats I: association with infectious and non-infectious factors.

Background: Intramammary infections negatively affect milk quality, animal welfare and productivity in the dairy industry. Somatic cell count (SCC) is the most used screening tool to detect subclinical mastitis caused by intramammary infections. In dairy goats, SCC is greatly influenced by non-infectious factors, which complicates the interpretation. The aim of this research paper was to determine the association between SCC, intramammary infections and non-infectious factors including parity, season, lactation stage, and milk yield in dairy goats. In this longitudinal study, 451 goats from four Norwegian dairy goat herds were sampled for bacteriology and SCC up to nine times during two lactations. Factors like parity, milk yield, and stage of lactation were retrieved from the Norwegian goat recording system.

Results: The most prevalent udder pathogen findings were Staphylococcus caprae (6.8%), Staphylococcus warneri (6.3%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (3.8%), all of which had a mild but significant impact on SCC. Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 3.6% of the udder halves and had a major effect on SCC. Parity, stage of lactation, season, and milk yield significantly influenced SCC.

Conclusions: This study highlights that intramammary infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, along with factors such as increasing parity and the seasonal effects of pasturing, significantly influence the SCC. Understanding these key contributors is essential for improving udder health management and improving milk quality in goat milk production.