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Updated: Sep 27, 2025
Bovine Mammary Gland Biopsy Techniques
Published on: December 23, 2018
Relationship Between Somatic Cell Counts and Mammary Gland Parenchyma Ultrasonography in Buffaloes
Xinxin Zhang1,2, Muhammad Jamil Ahmad1,2, Zhigao An1,2
1Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
Insights
Ultrasonography can diagnose subclinical mastitis in buffaloes by analyzing mammary gland echotextural features. Pixel standard deviation (PSD) in ultrasound images correlates with somatic cell counts (SCC), aiding in mastitis detection.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Animal Science
Background:
- Mastitis is a significant concern in dairy buffaloes, impacting milk production and quality.
- Accurate and early diagnosis of subclinical mastitis is crucial for effective herd management.
- Traditional diagnostic methods for mastitis can be time-consuming and may require specialized laboratory equipment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of mammary gland echotextural features in diagnosing mastitis in lactating buffaloes.
- To determine the correlation between ultrasound variables and somatic cell levels in buffalo milk.
- To assess ultrasonography as a complementary tool for subclinical mastitis diagnosis in buffaloes.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted involving 65 buffaloes with 94 somatic cell count (SCC) tests across different seasons.
- Ultrasonic variables, including mean numerical pixel values (NPVs) and pixel standard deviation (PSD), were analyzed from mammary gland images.
- Image ProPlus software was used to evaluate echotextural characteristics, and statistical analysis identified significant factors affecting PSD and NPVs.
Main Results:
- Significant effects of SCC, days in milk, season, and scanning parameters on mammary gland echotextural characteristics (PSD and NPVs) were observed (p < 0.05).
- The highest correlation was found between pre-milking sagittal PSD and somatic cell score (SCS) (r = 0.4224, p < 0.0001).
- Pre-milking sagittal PSD effectively explained variations in milk SCC over a one-month period.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasonographic examination of the mammary gland, particularly pre-milking sagittal PSD, shows promise as a complementary diagnostic tool for subclinical mastitis in buffaloes.
- Echotextural features of the mammary parenchyma can provide valuable information regarding somatic cell levels and aid in mastitis diagnosis.
- This non-invasive imaging technique offers a potential method for early detection and management of mastitis in dairy buffaloes.
Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to determine whether the echotextural features of the mammary gland parenchyma in buffaloes during lactation at different somatic cell levels could be used to diagnose mastitis. This study was divided into two parts. In the first experiment, experimental buffaloes (n = 65) with somatic cell counts (SCC) tests (n = 94) in different seasons, including spring (n = 22), summer (n = 24), autumn (n = 37), and winter (n = 11), were used to obtain ultrasonic variables for each quarter of mammary gland that could best explain the corresponding somatic cell level. In the second part of the study, the first part's experimental results were verified by subjecting at least one-quarter udder of eight buffaloes to ultrasonography seven times during mid-July to mid-August for obtaining ultrasonic values at different somatic cell levels. The echo textural characteristics [mean numerical pixel values (NPVs) and pixel heterogeneity (pixel standard deviation, PSD)] were evaluated using 16 ultrasonographic images of each buffalo with Image ProPlus software. The effects of SCC, days in milk (DIM), scanning order (SO), season, as well as the scanning plane and udder quarter (SP + UQ) on both the PSD and NPVs of the mammary gland were significant (p < 0.05). The correlation coefficient between pre-milking sagittal PSD and somatic cell score (SCS) was the highest (r = 0.4224, p < 0.0001) with fitted linear model: y = 0.19445x (dependent variable: SCS, independent variables: pre-milking sagittal PSD; R 2 = 0.84, p < 0.0001). In addition, SCC and ultrasonic of udder quarter were followed for 1 month, confirming that pre-milking sagittal PSD of mammary gland value could explain the SCC variation in milk. The current study demonstrated that the ultrasonographic examination of the udder could be one of the complementary tools for diagnosing subclinical mastitis in buffaloes.
