PRESENCE OF SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS AND ECONOMIC LOSSES IN DAIRY FARMS IN SERBIA

Abstract

The objectives of the study determine the presence of subclinical mastitis in smallholder’s dairy farms in Serbia. We also aimed to show economic losses due to a presence of subclinical mastitis on the farms. The physical-chemical parameters of bulk tank milk samples were analysed: fat content, protein content, lactose and non-fat dry matter content. The total number of somatic cells ranged from 21000-4690000 in pooled milk samples. From 2020 to 2022 based on the number of somatic cells in the milk, there is a increasing the number of collective bulk tank milk samples that did not meet the requirements for the I class a statistically significant p<0.05. Economic losses due to the reduction of milk quality 0.033 euro/l lead to economic losses of approximately 20e per cow every month due to the reduced price of milk based on the classification of milk into classes based on the number of somatic cells

Keywords

• cows
• subclinical mastitis
• somatic cells