Determination of subclinical mastitis incidencein holstein dairy cows in soke subprovince of Aydin

The aim of this study was to determine the rate of subclinical masititis in Holstein cows in different districts of Söke, Aydın and to identify molecular (sequence analysis) of bacteria causing subclinical mastitis. Materials and Methods: 1231 mammary lobes of 312 Holstein cows were used as material. California Mastitis Test (CMT) revealed that 72.44% of cows and 46.63% of mammary lobes had subclinical mastitis. Cows with subclinical mastitis were evaluated according to age, month of lactation, floor type, milking system and their location. The increase in age and month of lactation suggested that it was risky for subclinical mastitis. Although the effect of milking system on subclinical mastitis was found to be different in percentage, it was not statistically significant (P> 0.05). Subclinical mastitis was found to be significantly reduced in the barns where rubber (latex) mat was used as floor material (P<0.001). Pathogens were detected in 128 (56.64%) of the milk samples taken from 226 CMT positive cows under aseptic conditions, whereas 98 (43.36%) of them had negative result (P<0.05). It was determined that 178 microorganisms were produced from 128 samples, 77 (43.75%) of them were infectious, 99 (56.25%) of them were bacteria of environmental mastitis and 2 of them were yeast. Streptecoccusspp., Stapylococcusspp., Corynebacterium spp., Bacillus spp. and coliform group were the most identified species. It was concluded that environmental mastitis agents were risk factors for subclinical mastitis in the dairy farms where fertilizer was used as a floor material. As in other studies, subclinical mastitis is an important problem in Söke district of Aydın and the breeders do not have enough information about the diagnosis, treatment and more importantly protection and control of the disease. It was concluded that subclinical mastitis screening at certain intervals, agent isolation and identification and measures to be taken against mastitis are important for the profitability and sustainability of the dairy farms. Keywords: California Mastitis Test, Molecular identification, Subclinical mastitis