SCC of Milk from Three Breeds of Buffaloes in Shoumen Region

N. PETROVA¹ and M. TZANKOVA²

¹ Institute of Animal Science, BG-2232 Kostinbrod, Bulgaria
² Buffalo Research Institute with Biotechnology Centre, BG-9700 Shoumen, Bulgaria

Abstract

PETROVA, N. and M. TZANKOVA, 1999. SCC of milk from three breeds of buffaloes in Shoumen region. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 5: 895-900

A study was carried out to establish the effect of the different somatic cell count (SCC) (less than 500 000; from 500 001 to 1 000 000; and over 1 000 000 cells/ml) on the average daily production and composition of buffalo milk. 47 lactating buffaloes from different dairy breeds (Murrah – 10 numbers, Bulgarian Murrah (Back Cross F₃ and F₄) – 31 numbers and Bulgarian Buffalo x Murrah (Back Cross F₂) – 6 numbers, respectively) from Shoumen region were examined.
Individual milk samples of buffaloes were taken three times in mid-lactation at monthly intervals over a period from May to July 1999.
The number of SCC from 500 001 to 1 000 000 cells/ml reduce the 7% fat corrected milk (7% FCM) and 4.0% protein corrected milk (4% PCM) with l.85% and 3.25% respectively in comparison with SCC less than 500 000 cells/ml.
The number of SCC over 1 000 000 cells/ml reduce the 7% FCM production with 42.80% and 4% PCM with 43,58% in comparison with SCC less than 500 000 cells/ml.
The buffalo milks with SCC less than 500 000 cells/ml were 66.7%, from 500 001 to 1 000 000 – 17.30% and over than 1 000 000 cells/ml -16.00% for investigated mid-lactation period.

Key words: SCC, buffalo milk, buffalo breeds, Shoumen region-Bulgaria