Concentrations fo Glucocorticoids, Bovine Serum Albumin, and Somatic Cells in Mastitic Milk

• Published in: Journal of dairy science Vol. 64; no. 11; pp. 2258 - 2261
• Main Authors: Fox, L.K., Heald, C.W., Gwazdauskas, F.C., Vinson, W.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.11.1981; Am Dairy Sci Assoc
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(81)82838-X

Milk glucocorticoids, bovine serum albumin, and somatic cells were measured during experimental mastitis. Six cows were allotted evenly into injected and control groups. Injected cows received a single intramammary infusion of .5mg sterile Escherichia coli endotoxin in a quarter chosen at random. Control cows were untreated. Milk quarter samples were taken from all cows at both milkings and 9h following midnight milking 1 day prior to and for 7 days following injection. Peak glucocorticoid concentrations occurred 9h postinjection and were 17.5ng/ml (± 10.2), and 4.4ng/ml (± 2.3) in injected and noninjected quarters of the same cows. In injected cows glucocorticoid concentrations returned to baseline within 36h. Glucocorticoids in control quarters were .4ng/ml (± .3). Peak bovine serum albumin was 27.8ng/ml (± 22.8) and .56ng/ml (± .09) in injected and noninjected quarters in the same cows as compared to a baseline of .2 mg/ml (± .04) in control cows. In injected quarters, bovine serum albumin remained elevated for 4 days, and somatic cells were elevated for 6 days after injection. Glucocorticoids, bovine serum albumin, and somatic cells were elevated markedly in injected quarters, and unlike concentrations of bovine serum albumin and somatic cells, elevated glucocorticoids in injected quarters were short lived.