Utilizing C-Reactive Protein as a Predictor for Subclinical Mastitis

Mastitis stands out as the most economically significant ailment in dairy cows due to its adverse effects on milk quality and reproductive performance, often leading to the involuntary culling of affected cows. Subclinical mastitis (SCM) can be considered a precursor to severe mastitis. This current study sheds light on the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a potential indicator for the presence of bovine SCM. The research involved the analysis of milk samples from a total of 49 cows, encompassing crossbred and native breeds. These samples were evaluated for their CRP levels and then compared with the absolute somatic cell count. To identify SCM, a somatic cell count within the range of 5.00-7.5 lakhs/ml was used as a threshold. The results revealed elevated CRP concentrations in the milk of cows afflicted with clinical mastitis (11.72 ± 0.75 µg/mL) as well as those with subclinical mastitis (10.9 ± 1.2 µg/mL), in stark contrast to the levels observed in healthy cows (0.33 ± 0.02 µg/mL). This research suggests that CRP may serve as a valuable tool for the ongoing surveillance of bovine mastitis, ultimately contributing to improved milk production performance.