Healthy udders for healthy goat milk

Our aim was therefore to assess and improve udder health in dairy goats by looking for suitable indicators for early detection of subclinical mastitis. The parameters commonly used in dairy cows (cell count, conductivity) are not or only partially suitable for routine monitoring. However, since subclinical mastitis plays a similarly important role in dairy goats as in dairy cows and leads to yield losses as well as to impairment of product quality and processability of raw milk, we paid special attention to the prevention of these diseases.

In order to assess the effectiveness of preventive udder health measures in the area of husbandry, milking hygiene and herd management on udder health, reliable diagnostics are required. Standard diagnostics based on cell count and bacteriological findings cannot be used in goats due to the unsuitability of the parameter "cell count". Therefore, we tested different physiological parameters individually or in combination for their suitability for udder health monitoring as a preventive measure to improve udder health in dairy goats:

Eutergesundheitsmonitoring als präventive Maßnahme zur Verbesserung der Eutergesundheit bei Milchziegen (pdf download) (in German).  

Even if further investigations are necessary for reliable results and practical recommendations - the following statements can already be made for practical use:

• The udder health of goats cannot be assessed on the basis of the cell counts in the milk. If goats have a high cell count - so-called "millionaires" - this does not mean that udder inflammation is present.
• Bacteriological examinations are necessary to detect mastitis.
• Mastitis can be reduced by proper milking and appropriate milking hygiene.
• Payment for goat's milk depending on its cell count is not justified.