Abstract：
Compost bedded pack barns (compost) as a new free walk housing system favorably influence udder health due to improved animal welfare and lying comfort. On the other hand, unfavorable effects on udder health are possible, due to the open bedded pack and the associated larger bacterial content in moisture. For in-depth farming system comparisons, the present study aimed to evaluate the specific cell fractions and mastitis pathogens in milk from cows kept in compost and in conventional cubical barns (cubicle). For milk sample collection we used a repeated measurement data structure of 2,198 udder quarters from 537 Holstein cows kept in six herds (3 in compost and 3 in cubicle). Differential cell counting was conducted including lymphocytes, macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Specific mastitis pathogens comprised major and minor pathogens. Mixed models were applied to infer environmental and cow associated effects on cell fractions and on prevalences for pathogen infections, with specific focus on system × lactation stage, system × milk yield and system × somatic cell count effects. The interaction between system and lactation stage showed significant differences (P < 0.01) between the systems. A significantly smaller number of bacteriologically positive quarters and lower prevalences for minor pathogens were detected in compost compared to cubicle. Least squares means for pathogen prevalences indicated a quite constant proportion of bacteriologically negative udder quarters across milk yield levels in compost, but a slight increase with increasing milk yield in cubicle. Cell fraction responses in both systems differed in relation to the overall bacteriological infection status and farming system particularities. In conclusion, different cell fractions and specific mastitis pathogens should be considered as an indicator for udder health in different production systems, taking into account cow associated factors (lactation stage, milk yield).
摘要：
堆肥床铺包谷仓（堆肥）作为一种新的自由步行住房系统，由于改善了动物福利和躺下的舒适度，对乳房健康产生了有利的影响。另一方面,对乳房健康的不利影响是可能的，由于开放式床铺包装和相关的水分中细菌含量较大。为了进行深入的耕作制度比较，本研究旨在评估特定的细胞分数和乳腺炎病原体从奶牛保持在堆肥和在传统的隔间谷仓（隔间）。对于牛奶样品的收集，我们使用了来自6头牛群饲养的537头荷斯坦奶牛的2,198个乳房的重复测量数据结构（堆肥3头，小隔间3头）。进行差异细胞计数，包括淋巴细胞，巨噬细胞和多形核白细胞（PMN）。特定的乳腺炎病原体包括主要和次要病原体。应用混合模型来推断环境和奶牛对细胞组分和病原体感染流行的相关影响。特别关注系统×哺乳期，系统×产奶量和系统×体细胞计数效应。系统与泌乳期的交互作用在各系统间表现出显著差异(P<0.01)。与小隔间相比，在堆肥中检测到的细菌学阳性宿舍数量明显较少，次要病原体的患病率较低。病原体流行率的最小二乘平均值表明，堆肥中乳产量水平的细菌学阴性乳房四分之一的比例相当恒定，但随着隔间产奶量的增加而略有增加。两个系统中的细胞分数响应在总体细菌感染状态和养殖系统特殊性方面有所不同。总之,不同的细胞组分和特定的乳腺炎病原体应被视为不同生产系统中乳房健康的指标，考虑到奶牛相关因素(哺乳期，牛奶产量)。
