ESTUDO COMPARATIVO ENTRE OS MÉTODOS CALIFORNIA MASTITIS TEST, CONTAGEM DE CÉLULAS SOMÁTICAS E CULTIVO MICROBIOLÓGICO PARA O DIAGNÓSTICO DA MASTITE CAPRINA

Abstract

Mastitis is a limiting factor in milk production and a problem in livestock worldwide. Many laboratory methods have been recommended in order to diagnose the incidence of mastitis in dairy herds, therefore, was conducted a comparative study of the diagnostic methods California Mastitis Test (CMT), somatic cell count (SCC) by electronic and microscopic methods and bacterial isolation, for the goats. A total of 306 milk samples from mammary quarters, collected in three moments of lactation stage (beginning, middle and end) of 51 infants goats were submitted to the California Mastitis Test (CMT), automatic somatic cell count (SCC), microscopic SCC and bacterial culture on blood agar. Only 4 (7.84%) animals showed visible clinical signs of clinical mastitis and 114 (37.25%) of half mammary gland showed a growth on blood agar. CMT and SCC have greater specificity than sensitivity, thus higher NPV than PPV. The values of k (kappa) of microbiological culture showed an insignificant correlation with CMT and an average agreement with SSC. An association (p <0.05) between tests evaluated with the gold standard was observed. SCC scores was suggested above 1,0x106 cells / mL as a criterion for carrying out microbiological tests. The CMT and SCC are more efficient in detecting negative mammary glands than positive mammary glands for mastitis.