Influence of Different Water Sources on Somatic Cell Count and Composition of Bovine Raw Milk

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of water sources on somatic cell count (SCC) and composition of bovine raw milk. The examinations were carried out in a private Holstein farm located in Konya province of Turkey. Before and after changing water supply of the farm (BCW and ACW), all analysis results were recorded. At the BCW period, parameters were noted to be; antimony (Sb): 15.4 mu g/L, arsenic (As): 40.98 mu g/L, blurriness: 3.3 NTU, mercury (Hg): 2.385 mu g/L and iron (Fe): 293.6 mu g/L. The values of the same compounds at seven days later ATC time were measured to be <5 mu g/L, <10 mu g/L, 0.74 NTU, 1.457 mu g/L and 320.3 mu g/L, respectively. According to tank milk test results during seven days before and after the process, the means for dry matter, fat, protein, lactose, density, freezing point, mineral and logarithmic SCC (logSCC) were calculated to be 11.89 +/- 0.099 and 12.02 +/- 0.111%; 3.01 +/- 0.020 and 3.47 +/- 0.034% (P<0.001); 3.30 +/- 0.044 and 3.17 +/- 0.036% (P<0,05); 4.83 +/- 0.090 and 4.64 +/- 0.063%; 1.0315 +/- 0.00099 and 1.0299 +/- 0.00071 g/ml; -0.461 +/- 0.0042 and -0.466 +/- 0.0093 degrees C; 0.673 +/- 0.0129 and 0.686 +/- 0.0205%; 5.349 +/- 0.0453 and 5.228 +/- 0.0246, respectively. Changes in water supply caused an increase in fat percentage but, a decline in the protein percentage of tank milk. Individual milk samples of 18 cows at BCW and those collected from 16 cows at ACW shown that mineral increased (P<0.05) but logSCC decreased (P<0.01). Obtained findings here might be attributed to adverse effect of change in Sb, As and Hg on the metabolism.