High epidermal growth factor concentration associated with somatic cell count in milk of cows with subclinical mastitis

The aim this study was to determine the milk epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentration in cows with subclinical mastitis and its relationship with the somatic cell count (SCC). The animal material of this study was composed of 40 lactating cows aged 3-6 years. Subclinical mastitis was diagnosed using the California Mastitis Test and SCC in milk. The study group consisted of 20 cows with SCC > 200.000 cells/ml, and the control group comprised 20 cows with SCC < 200.000 cells/ml. EGF concentration in milk was determined using a bovine-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The mean EGF concentration was 6.08 ± 2.91 ng/ml in the study group and 2.85 ± 1.87 ng/ml in the control group (P < 0.001). The results also indicated a significant correlation between SCC and EGF concentration in the study group (r = 0.965, P < 0.01). The findings of this study suggest that a milk EGF assay together with SCC could be useful for diagnosing mastitis as well as for monitoring udder health.