Influence of the dry and rainy season on somatic cell count and occurrence of mastitis in cows housed in a free stall system.

Mastitis is one of the main diseases of the dairy herd, and is linked to product quality and viability of the activity. The prevalence of mastitis is influenced by environmental and sanitary conditions, with somatic cell count (SCC) being one of the main forms of diagnosis of subclinical mastitis. The objective of this research is to evaluate the epidemiology of mastitis (bacterial groups and CCS) on a good-production property in the southwest of Goias with cows confined in a Free stall system, evaluating the difference in the case series of mastitis in the dry period. and in the rainy season. During the year, there were 180 cases of clinical mastitis (60% in the rainy season and 40% in the dry season), 245 cases of subclinical mastitis (64.5% in the rainy season and 35.5% in the dry season), and 12 cases of mastitis in the after birth of the calf (58% in the rainy season and 42% in the dry season). The CCS in the rainy season was 442,260 cells/ml while in the dry season it was 326,800 cells/ml. A higher prevalence of clinical, subclinical and postpartum mastitis was observed in the rainy season, whether of contagious or environmental origin, as well as higher CCS values. A higher prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis was observed in the rainy season, whether of contagious or environmental origin, as well as higher SCC values in the herd. It was possible to note that the presence of humidity and heat probably facilitate the spread of mesophilic microorganisms, which leads to a greater frequency of mastitis in animals.