Question

What should be the normal limit of milk somatic cell count in indigenous dairy cow?

• A. Less than 1.0 Lakh/ml milk
• B. 1.0 - 1.5 Lakh/ml milk
• C. 2.0-2.5 Lakh/ml milk
• D. More than 2.5 Lakh/ml milk

Hint:

A somatic cell count threshold of \(100,000\text{ cells/ml}\) (1.0 Lakh/ml) is used globally to distinguish healthy quarters from quarters subclinically infected with mastitis.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Somatic Cell Count (SCC) is a key indicator of milk quality and udder health.
Somatic cells in milk consist primarily of white blood cells (leukocytes) and epithelial cells shed from the lining of the mammary gland.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
In a healthy, uninfected mammary gland of a dairy cow, the baseline level of somatic cells in milk is very low.
An increase in the somatic cell count indicates an inflammatory response, typically due to a bacterial infection (mastitis).
The accepted physiological standards are:
- Healthy, uninfected udder: Somatic cell count is typically less than 100,000 cells/ml (which corresponds to less than 1.0 Lakh/ml in Indian numerical terms).
- Subclinical/Clinical Mastitis: Somatic cell count rises significantly above 200,000 cells/ml (2.0 Lakh/ml) up to several millions.

Step 4: Final Answer
The normal somatic cell count limit in healthy, uninfected dairy cows is less than 1.0 Lakh/ml of milk.