The relationships between some udder traits of dairy cows and somatic cell count

In this study, hyperkeratosis score, teat end shape score, teat shape score, teat length score, teat skin score, teat cleanliness score, teat warts score (fibropapillamos), front teat placement score, rear teat placement score and California Mastitis Score (CMT) of 158 milking Holstein cows determined in a dairy farm which is member of Sakarya Dairy Cattle Breeders Association in Sakarya. The relationship between teat traits and Somatic Cell Counts determined. Animals monitorised during 12 months and scored at the end of each month. Data's were evaluated in three yield group (high, medium and low) and for season (fall, winter, spring and summer) in the study. Scorings were performed separately for each teat (front right teat, front left teat, rear right teat and rear left teat) in each group. Relationship between hyperkeratosis score to CMT was found statistically significant (p<0.01) for high and medium yield groups. It was statistically significant between hyperkeratosis and CMT in all yield groups (p<0.01), except for rear left teat (p>0.05). It was statistically significant in level of (p<0.01) between teat shape scores and CMT in all groups of high production yield group, in level of (p<0.01) for rear left teat in medium production yield and in level of (p<0.05) for all other teats. There was not statistically significant (p>0.05) between teat shape scores and CMT in low production yield for front left and front right teats and statistically significant (p<0.01) between teat shape scores and CMT for rear left teat and rear right teats. The relationship between teat cleanliness score (TCS) and CMT evaluated for seasons (fall, winter, spring and summer) evaluated and it was not statistically significant (p>0.05) for fall, winter and summer seasons groups. It was statistically significant in level of (p<0.01) between teat cleanliness score and CMT for front left teat and was not significant in level of (p>0.05) for rear left teat and rear right teat for spring season group. It was significantly relationship between teat morphological traits and CMT level, therefore it was concluded that the characters such as hyperkeratosis, teat end shape, teat length can be used as selection criteria in animal breeding.