An economic analysis of high milk somatic cell counts in dairy cattle in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Tosapol Dejyong; Karoon Chanachai; Nathawit Immak; Tippawon Prarakamawongsa; Theera Rukkwamsuk; Damian Tago Pacheco; Waraphon Phimpraphai

doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.958163

An economic analysis of high milk somatic cell counts in dairy cattle in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Front Vet Sci. 2022 Nov 4:9:958163. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.958163. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Tosapol Dejyong^{1

2}, Karoon Chanachai³, Nathawit Immak⁴, Tippawon Prarakamawongsa⁵, Theera Rukkwamsuk⁶, Damian Tago Pacheco¹, Waraphon Phimpraphai⁷

Affiliations

¹ Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Graduate Student, Bio-Veterinary Science Program (International), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
³ United States Agency for International Development, Regional Development Mission Asia, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁴ The Fifth Regional Livestock Office, Department of Livestock Development, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
⁵ Regional Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians, Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁶ Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
⁷ Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

Abstract

Mastitis in dairy cattle can lead to significant financial losses due to a reduction in milk yield, the withdrawal period after treatment when milk cannot be sold, and an increase in somatic cell count (SCC) which can reduce the milk's per liter commercial value. Dairy cooperatives point at high-SCC problems as an important factor leading to suboptimal levels of milk quantity and quality. This study aims at describing farm characteristics and milking practices associated with high SCC, identifying risk factors, and assessing the economic loss due to high SCC in three dairy cooperatives in Chiang Mai, Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 208 dairy cattle farms from July to September 2018. Structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the degree of association between factors and high SCC. A retrospective cost assessment of high SCC was conducted to estimate the losses in affected farms, and two potential coping strategies were assessed: (1) culling and (2) treating the cow. More than 12% of farms had high SCC (SCC > 500,000 cells/ml). Inappropriate vacuum pressure and inappropriate pulsation rate of milking machines were identified as significant risk factors according to the multiple logistic regression (P < 0.01). Both factors can decrease the natural protection of teat tissue, increasing the likelihood of bacterial infection. The average economic loss of high SCC in affected farms was 557 USD for a three-month period. When comparing response strategies (i.e., treatment vs. culling), treating the affected cow was found to be more cost-effective. With a probability of successful treatment of 54%, treating an affected cow leads to 1,158.7 USD in gains over 3 years (vs. doing nothing). The results of this economic analysis can be used to advocate to cooperatives the value of veterinarians and for investigating and treating cases of mastitis.

Keywords: dairy cattle; economic analysis; investigation; risk mitigation; somatic cell count.