1Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahi Evran University, 40100, Kirsehir, Turkey
2Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Gaziosmanpasa University, 60250, Tokat, Turkey
3Department of Animal Production and Technologies, Faculty of Ayhan Sahenk Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Omer Halisdemir University, 51240, Nigde, Turkey
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahi Evran University, 40100, Kirsehir, Turkey
*Corresponding author's e-mail: aziz.sahin@ahievran.edu.tr
Online published on 10 February, 2017.
The present research was conducted to determine the effects of parity, calving season and stage of lactation on the somatic cell count (SCC) in Anatolian water buffaloes reared different herd conditions. In total, 2, 736 SCC readings from 456 Anatolian water buffaloes were analyzed. Data were evaluated by the stage of lactation (early, mid, and late), calving season, and parity with the SPSS package program. Significant effects of calving season, parity, and stage of lactation on SCC were observed (P<0.05). The average SCC was 90, 701±6, 372 cells/ml. The results indicated that the SCC of buffaloes were in accordance with, even considerably lower than, the limits indicated in the related regulations of the Turkish Food Codex and those of the European Union Commission. Further studies are necessary to investigate the development of the appropriate threshold values under the conditions of Turkey.
Anatolian water buffalo, Calving season, Parity, Somatic cell, Stage of lactation
