Cell function in the bovine mammary gland: Interdependence of healthy and infected udder quarters

R. Merle; A. Schröder; J. Hamann

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Cell function in the bovine mammary gland: Interdependence of healthy and infected udder quarters

In: Mastitis in dairy production

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R. Merle

R. Merle

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A. Schröder

A. Schröder

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J. Hamann

J. Hamann

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 202–207

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086865505_027

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Current mastitis research has not completely explained udder defence mechanisms. In consideration of the anatomical construction of the udder, infection of one udder quarter is not considered to influence the immune status of neighbouring quarters.

In order to test this hypothesis, we compared the early immune reactions of individual udder quarters in response to microbiological attacks. Such reactions are characterised by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) which release oxygen radicals, which can be determined by chemiluminescence (CL). Milk from 140 udder quarters of 36 cows was thus analysed for somatic cell count (SCC), differential cell count, viability and CL activity. Three cow groups were classified cytologically: a healthy reference group A (11 animals, SCC limit <100,000/ml); group B (moderate mastitis, 8 cows, SCC ≥100,000 and <400,000/ml in at least one quarter) and group C (severe mastitis, 17 cows, SCC ≥400,000/ml in at least one quarter).

Infected and not infected quarters in groups B and C were analysed separately. Viability was significantly lower (P <0.0001) in group A (72.6%) than in the healthy quarters of group C (84.0%). Lowering the SCC limit of healthy quarters to <50,000/ml (group A: all quarters within the udder) revealed striking differences between samples of groups B and C: In addition to varying differential cell counts and viabilities, the CL activity of group B_<50 (2,929 CL units/million PMN) was remarkably lower than that of the other groups (5,616 in group A_<50 and 6,445 CL units/million PMN in group C_<50).

These results show that the infection of one udder quarter does influence the cell activity of neighbouring quarters. When the SCC threshold for healthy quarters was reduced to 50,000 cells/ml, much greater differences in cell activities were detected between healthy udders and healthy quarters of infected udders.

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Mastitis in dairy production

Current knowledge and future solutions

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086865505

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 24 Oct 2005

Subjects
- Life Sciences

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Cell function in the bovine mammary gland: Interdependence of healthy and infected udder quarters

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Mastitis in dairy production

Current knowledge and future solutions

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