Evaluation of Automatic Mastitis Detection Equipment

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Abstract
An electronic sensor was evaluated as an instrument for early detection of [bacterial] mastitis. This method involved measuring the conductivity of milk continuously throughout the milking process and then establishing a conductivity ratio. The lowest conductivity measurement of the 4 quarters was a basis for assessing the degree of mastitis in the other quarters and assuming that at least 1 of the quarters was normal at examination and the lowest reading was normal conductivity. The conductivity ratio was evaluated by comparison with the leukocyte concentration and combined leukocyte concentration and cultural examinations of milk samples from 1028 quarters. In healthy cows conductivities of milk from each of the quarters were similar. If 1 or more quarters were infected this milk showed higher conductivity compared to the noninfected quarter of the same cow. The conductivity ratio correctly identified 69% of the established cases of mastitis. For the Wisconsin Mastitis Test, 93.2% of the normal quarters were detected correctly by the conductivity ratio. Leukocyte counts were frequently high when there was no other evidence of mastitis. The conductivity ratio apparently is effective in detecting mastitis at an early stage.