Mastitis is characterized by physical, chemical and bacteriological changes in the milk and pathological changes in the glandular tissue of the udder and affects the quality and quantity of milk. The bacterial contamination of milk from the affected cows render it unfit for human consumption and provides a mechanism of spread of diseases like tuberculosis, sore-throat, Q-fever, brucellosis, leptospirosis etc. and has zoonotic importance. Somatic cell count (SCC) is a useful predictor of intramammary infection (IMI) that includes leucocytes (75%) i.e. neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, erythrocytes and epithelial cells (25%). Leucocytes increase in response to bacterial infection, tissue injury and stress. Somatic cells are protective for the animal body and fight infectious organisms. An elevated SCC in milk has a negative influence on the quality of raw milk. Subclinical mastitis is always related to low milk production, changes to milk consistency (density), reduced possibility of adequate milk processing, low protein and high risk for milk hygiene since it may even contain pathogenic organisms. This review collects and collates relevant publications on the subject.

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Prevention of subclinical mastitis (SCM) is an important tool for sustainable dairying and implementing higher production level in animals. The present investigation involved a total of 397 quarters of milk examination of 105 indigenous Tharparkar cows at Livestock Research Centre, Chandan located in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan in Thar Desert to study the impact of udder and teat morphometry on udder health. Udder health was examined by somatic cell count to check the status of subclinical mastitis while udder and teat morphometry of 90 udder and 386 quarters, i.e., udder shape and depth, teat end shape, teat length, and teat diameter were examined at individual animal level and quarter level. Data were collected from the record register maintained at the farm and data evaluated by parity (no. of lactation) and stage of lactation. On analysis of variance, result revealed the significantly (P < 0.05) higher incidence of SCM was for pendulous shape udder in respect of regular udder, as well as for inverted and flat teat end shape in respect of pointed teat end shape. Large teat length and upper depth animals had significantly (P < 0.05) more incidence of SCM as compared to small and medium teat length and udder depth group, respectively. Thick teat diameter group animals were significantly (P < 0.01) more prone to infection as compared to medium and thin teat diameter group animals. So, it can be concluded that selection for optimum udder and teat morphometry in breeding program may help to reduce susceptibility for intramammary infections in Tharparkar cows. Microbiological study of milk samples could be helpful in the nearby future for identification of subclinical mastitis.

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