Relations between on-line electrical conductivity and daily milk production on a low somatic cell count farm

J Dairy Sci. 1993 Sep;76(9):2589-96. doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(93)77593-1.

Abstract

To study the relation between on-line electrical conductivity and daily milk production, data of 1389 cow days were analyzed. After correction for cow effects and DIM, a rise of 1 mS of the mean electrical conductivity caused a decline of .88 kg/d in milk production. A rise of 1 ln(SCC) unit was associated with an additional decline of .54 kg/d in milk production. In cows without clinical mastitis during the test period, the losses associated with mean electrical conductivity and ln(SCC) were 1.06 and .45 kg/d of milk production, respectively. Electrical conductivity and SCC were associated with daily production loss; the effects were additive. Therefore, electrical conductivity and SCC can be utilized as indirect tests of subclinical mastitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
  • Female
  • Lactation*
  • Mastitis, Bovine / microbiology
  • Mastitis, Bovine / pathology
  • Mastitis, Bovine / physiopathology*
  • Milk / cytology
  • Milk / microbiology
  • Milk / physiology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification