Vol. 8, Special Issue 4, Part E (2024)

Abstract: Monitoring udder health in dairy herds is crucial for maintaining milk quality and animal welfare. Somatic cell count (SCC) serves as a primary indicator of udder inflammation, but its reliability has diminished with decreasing global SCC averages. This study investigates the utility of milk differential leukocyte count (DLC) in early lactating Karan Fries cows for identifying udder health status. A total of 36 cows were categorized into healthy, subclinical mastitis (SCM), and clinical mastitis (CM) groups based on SCC and California Mastitis Test scores. Milk samples were collected and analyzed for SCC and DLC using both automated and microscopic methods. Results revealed a significant increase in neutrophil percentage and a decrease in macrophage percentage as udder health deteriorated from healthy to SCM to CM. Lymphocyte percentage decreased but not significantly across the groups. The study highlights the potential of DLC as a complementary tool to SCC for precise udder health assessment in early lactating Karan Fries cows.