SOMATIC CELL COUNT VARIATION IN MILK FROM SHEEP WITH SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS
There are considerable gaps in diagnostics of mastitis in sheep as compared with other agricultural animals. Sheep milk has large economical importance, especially in the regions where the sheep are milked. Timely and accurate diagnostics is essential for success of treatment and preventive measures. Milk from affected udder lobes features increased number of somatic cells, protein, chlorides, alkali, bacilli contamination, and decreased fat content and bactericide activity. In the course and after the treatment of an animal, its milk contains inhibitive substances. In this case the milk loses its nutritive value and important processing qualities, required for cheese and cultured milk products. Feeding it to young animals entails rise in the gastrointestinal disorders rate, and quite often leads to death. Ewes with subclinical mastitis are a source of a number of infections throughout lactation period. Continuous control over somatic cell count allows timely determination of milk from mastitis animals, thus increasing overall quality of food products. Milk with increased somatic cell count can play its role in the allergic reactions and food poisoning in people. Being the most sensitive indicator, increased somatic cell count warns about future decrease in milk yield in agricultural animals. It also depends on the stage of disease and varies from hardly detectable changes to complete cessation of milk secretion