Abstract

This study investigated the impact of moderate teat-end hyperkeratosis on milk somatic cell count (SCC) and bacterial count (BC) in Holstein cows. Comparing teat-end scores (TS) 2 and 3, we found that TS3 quarters exhibited significantly higher SCC (p = 0.017) despite having shorter days in milk than TS2 quarters. While BC in foremilk (BC1) remained stable, post-milking samples (BC2) decreased during sequential sampling; however, a significant Group × Time interaction (p = 0.020) revealed a less pronounced bacterial reduction in TS3. These findings tentatively suggest that moderate hyperkeratosis (TS3) may be associated with subclinical mammary irritation and altered bacterial clearance dynamics, independent of the absolute bacterial load. Managing teat-end morphology may help optimize milk quality, even when bacterial contamination is minimal.

IPC Classification

Keywords