Effect of Lactation Age on Daily Milk Yield and Somatic Cell Count

Abstract

The somatic cell count in milk is part of any veterinary and sanitary examination. The entire livestock is tested for somatic cell count at least once a month during control milking. This indicator makes it possible to identify latent mastitis in cows. Somatic cell count depends on many production factors as it indicates udder health, compliance with technological standards, and milk grade. Milk processing enterprises value high-grade milk that can be used in baby food production. As a result, grade identification is of great economic and production importance for dairy producers. This research featured the correlation between the milk yield and the somatic cell count after the first, second, third, and further lactations. The authors analyzed qualitative and quantitative indicators of milk in cows of three age lactation groups from the same herd. The animals were grouped according to the somatic cell count in milk, corresponding to the highest, first, and second milk grades.