SCC is promoted as an accurate indirect method to diagnose subclinical or clinical mammary infections, and as a selection criterion for mastitis resistance in dairy cattle. However, only a few studies have been conducted in dairy sheep. Therefore, the objectives of this project are:
- To evaluate the relationships among SCC, milk production traits, and mastitis-causing pathogens;
- To determine how SCC can influence functional longevity;
- To test the capability of SCC as a diagnostic tool and to estimate the cell threshold between infected and uninfected udders;
- To evaluate including SCC in a breeding program for mastitis resistance in Valle del Belice dairy ewes. |
