Somatic cell counts in Holstein cows’ milk in different seasons of the year
https://doi.org/10.32634/0869-8155-2026-404-03-58-64
Abstract
One of the indicators for assessing the quality of cow’s milk and its suitability for industrial processing is the somatic cell count (SCC). The aim of this research was to study the seasonal variability of somatic cell content in the milk of Holstein cows and its relationship with productivity and chemical composition. The studies were conducted on cows in their second and third lactations. The following parameters were analyzed: daily milk yield, milk composition, and somatic cell count depending on the lactation season (winter, spring, summer, autumn). It was found that the highest somatic cell count (412.3–531.9 thousand/cm³) was observed in the milk of cows of both ages in winter, and the lowest in autumn (80.4–97.6 thousand/cm³). A positive correlation was found between the somatic cell count in milk and the mass fraction of fat (0.747) in the autumn for second lactation cows. Negative correlations were found between somatic cells and daily milk yield (-0.580), fat content (-0.645), protein (-0.894), total solids (-0.774), and solids-not-fat (SNF) (-0.888) in winter for third-lactation cows. The strength of the influence of the lactation season on the fat content in milk was 69.6% and 75.0%, on lactose — 42.8% and 39.3%, on total solids — 63.9% and 63.7%, and on the somatic cell count — 59.3% and 68.2%, for second and third lactation cows respectively. According to the SCC, milk obtained in the winter season was classified as second grade, while in other seasons it was classified as premium grade.
Keywords
milk,
daily milk yield,
chemical composition,
somatic cell count,
cow,
Holstein breed,
seasons of the year
Supporting agencies: The work was carried out with the financial support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, state registration number for research, development and technological work: 122031400484-7. The authors would like to thank the specialists of JSC Arefyevskoye (Russia) for their assistance in conducting scientific research.
About the Authors
L. V. Efimova
Krasnoyarsk Agricultural Research Institute — Separate
Division Federal State-Funded Science Institution “Federal
Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian
Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences”
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Lyubov Valentinovna Efimova, Candidate of agricultural sciences, Associate professor
66 Svobodny prospect, Krasnoyarsk, 660041
T. V. Zaznobina
Krasnoyarsk Agricultural Research Institute — Separate
Division Federal State-Funded Science Institution “Federal
Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian
Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences”
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tatyana Vyacheslavovna Zaznobina , Researcher the department of animal husbandry
66 Svobodny prospect, Krasnoyarsk, 660041
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For citations:
Efimova L.V., Zaznobina T.V. Somatic cell counts in Holstein cows’ milk in different seasons of the year. Agrarian science. 2026;(3):58-64. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.32634/0869-8155-2026-404-03-58-64
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