Effect of clinical and subclinical mastitis on lipid composition of teat canal keratin.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate lipid composition of teat canal keratin when different conditions of bacterial colonization and quarter inflammation were present. In Experiment 1, 11 multiparous cows with subclinical mastitis (bacteria present but no visible inflammation) in at least one quarter were selected for study. Quarters that were sampled and found negative for bacterial growth were classified as control. In Experiment 2, 10 multiparous cows with clinical mastitis in one or more quarters were selected. Milk samples from inflamed quarters were cultured to identify mastitis pathogens; these quarters were classified as clinical; all other quarters were classified as control. Teat canal keratin was collected from all quarters just before an a.m. milking, samples were weighed, and lipid determinations were conducted by TLC. Keratin from subclinical quarters compared with keratin from control quarters did not differ in either neutral lipid or fatty acid composition. Total lipid was significantly higher in keratin from teats of clinical quarters than in keratin from control quarters (27.8 vs. 21.5 microgram/mg). Neutral lipid composition of keratin was similar between teats from clinical quarters and teats from control quarters. In Experiment 2, quarter foremilk samples were also obtained to determine lipid composition. The FFA in milk from clinical quarters contained fewer short-chain fatty acids, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher in milk from clinical quarters.