The Veterinary Record
HOME CURRENT ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS ARCHIVE SEARCH SUBSCRIPTIONS JOBS FEEDBACK HELP
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Leach, K. A.
Right arrow Articles by Bradley, A. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Leach, K. A.
Right arrow Articles by Bradley, A. J.
The Veterinary Record 163:566-570 (2008)
© 2008 British Veterinary Association

Papers and Articles

Use of domestic detergents in the California mastitis test for high somatic cell counts in milk

K. A. Leach, BSc, MSc, PhD1, M. J. Green, BVSc, PhD, DCHP, DipECBHM, MRCVS2, J. E. Breen, BVSc, PhD, DCHP, MRCVS1, J. N. Huxley, BVetMed, PhD, DCHP, DipECBHM, MRCVS2, R. Macaulay, BVSc, CertCHP, MRCVS1, H. T. Newton, BVSc, MRCVS1 and A. J. Bradley, MA, VetMB, PhD, DCHP, DipECBHM, MRCVS1,3

1 Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU
2 School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire LE12 5RD
3 Quality Milk Management Services, Unit 1, Lodge Hill Industrial Park, Station Road, Westbury-sub-Mendip, Somerset BA5 1EY

The California mastitis test (CMT) is used on farms to identify subclinical mastitis by an indirect estimation of the somatic cell count (SCC) in milk. Four commercially available detergents were compared with a bespoke CMT fluid for their ability to detect milk samples with a SCC above 200,000 cells/ml; differences between the interpretation of the results of the tests by eight operators were also investigated. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were affected by the type of detergent, and by the operators' interpretations. When used by the most sensitive operator, suitably diluted Fairy Liquid performed almost identically to CMT fluid in identifying milk samples with more than 200,000 cells/ml. The average sensitivities achieved by the eight operators for detecting this threshold were 82 per cent for Fairy Liquid and 84 per cent for CMT fluid, and the specificities were 93 and 91 per cent respectively. The other detergents contained less anionic surfactants and were less sensitive but similarly specific.






HOME CURRENT ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS ARCHIVE SEARCH SUBSCRIPTIONS JOBS FEEDBACK HELP
Copyright © 2008 British Veterinary Association