Hydrogen peroxide produced by a low-molecular-weight compound in milk with high electrical conductivity in dairy cows

In dairy cows, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) produced from a low-molecular-weight compound in milk from inflamed quarters was lower than that in milk from un-inflamed quarters. In milk of delivery grade, characteristics of H₂O₂ production in milk with high electrical conductivity (EC) were examined in this study. Milk samples were collected from a total of 230 cows at 1-month intervals, and the EC of skimmed milk was determined. Based on the highest and the lowest EC of a cow's quarter milk, the inter-quarter difference of ≥0.6 mS/cm (mean + t₀.₀₁ SE) was taken as a high EC. Milk with high EC was found in 52 quarters. In cows with milk of high EC, H₂O₂ production in milk with normal EC was higher than that in milk with high EC in the same animal but was lower than that in the control population. In milk with high EC, the decrease of H₂O₂ production correlated with the increase in EC. The production of H₂O₂ decreased in particular when the inter-quarter difference exceeded 0.8 mS/cm. In milk collected from the same quarter 1 month before, EC changed from normal to high, and H₂O₂ production decreased. In milk from the other three quarters, EC remained normal and H₂O₂ production remained unchanged. We concluded that milk with high EC appeared in low H₂O₂ -producing cows. The results suggest that the degree of decrease in H₂O₂ production reflects the extent of quarter abnormality.