Glucose levels in normal and mastitic milk

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Mastitis is a significant concern in dairy herds, impacting milk quality and animal health.
• Accurate diagnostic tools are crucial for timely intervention and herd management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between milk glucose levels and udder health in dairy cows.
• To evaluate the potential of milk glucose as a biomarker for diagnosing mastitis.

Main Methods:

• Enzymic determination of glucose levels in milk samples from 188 quarter milk samples.
• Statistical analysis of glucose concentrations in relation to udder health classifications.
• Correlation analysis with somatic cell count and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase levels.

Main Results:

• Mean milk glucose content was 0.22 mM, with a wide range (0.02-0.57 mM).
• Abnormal quarters exhibited significantly lower glucose levels compared to normal quarters (P < 0.01).
• Milk glucose showed negative correlations with somatic cell count (r = -0.49) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (r = -0.61).

Conclusions:

• While lower glucose levels are associated with abnormal quarters, the high variability limits its diagnostic utility.
• Milk glucose alone is of limited value for diagnosing mastitis in dairy cows.
• Further research may explore combined biomarkers for improved mastitis detection.