Somatic Cell Count of Milk in Holstein Cows Raised in Turkey Conditions: A Comparative Evaluation

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to discuss the level of somatic cell count (SCC) of milk in Holstein cows raised in Turkey. In total, 20 investigations conducted on Holstein breed Turkey (TR) and other countries (OC) were examined by SCC and effective non-genetic factors. The data were designed from the scientific journals on animal science published in the last decade. The means of SCC for TR and OC were calculated to be 486x10(3) cells/ml and 354x10(3) cells/ml, respectively. No statistical differences were found between two averages by log10 base. While parity, farm, month and stage of lactation were the significant factors affecting SCC for TR Holsteins, parity and calving season were the main factors for OC Holsteins. The findings revealed that reducing SCC have to be seen a priority target by the farm owners to achieve more productive herds.