Modern diagnostic tools for subclinical mastitis in cows

Abstract

After Ukraine joined the World Trade Organization, requirements for the safety and quality of food products, particularly milk and its processed products, have significantly increased in both domestic and international markets. Milk remains one of the basic products in the population's diet. However, its nutritional value and healthpromoting properties are preserved only if a high level of sanitary quality is maintained and the indicators fully comply with current state standards. An important factor in ensuring the quality of dairy raw materials is early diagnosis of subclinical mastitis, which is not accompanied by pronounced clinical signs but significantly affects milk composition and safety. Therefore, the work aimed to detect the latent form of subclinical mastitis promptly using the most modern and effective method for determining somatic cells, in a comparative context. Veterinary and sanitary examination of milk ensures control of product quality and safety before sale. The main studies included organoleptic evaluation, physicochemical parameters, and determination of somatic cell content, a key marker of udder health and milk quality. The article presents the results of research on the quality of raw milk sold in the agro-industrial markets of Mykolaiv. The Californian mastitis test, De Laval, and the Mastydine R test demonstrated the same effectiveness in detecting subclinical mastitis, with a positive reaction in 8 samples (16%) out of 50 studied. The milk settling test showed slightly lower efficiency, with a positive reaction in 6 samples (12 %) out of 50 tested. Therefore, the California test and the Mastidine R test are the most appropriate, and the settling test yielded less accurate results. Milk with a positive reaction is prohibited for free sale. Thus, determining the content of somatic cells is a mandatory element of the veterinary and sanitary assessment of milk on the markets and plays an important role in ensuring the safety and quality of dairy raw materials in accordance with current national standards.