Udder health in dairy goats

Abstract

In this thesis, monitoring and control of udder health in dairy goats was studied. The diagnostic properties of somatic cell count as a monitoring tool for udder health of a goat herd and of individual goats was evaluated. Furthermore, the diagnostic value of bacteriological culture of bulk milk and of individual milk samples was assessed. The importance of various udder health pathogens was studied. Staphylococcus aureus seems to be the most important udder health pathogen in goats. Somatic cell count served reasonably well in detecting this agent, but bacteriological culture was an insensitive test. Risk factors for infection with this pathogen were studied. In an economic frame-work, the costs associated with udder health problems were estimated.