Monitoring of monthly SCC in she-camel in relation to milking practice, udder status and microbiological contamination of milk

Somatic cell counts and bacteriological examinations were measured in 28 camel milk samples from 2 farms, one with milking machine (farm A) and the second with hand milking (farm B). The milk was analyzed for 6 months after the parturition, every month, the first one occurring one week approximately after delivery. The somatic cell count was higher at the first sampling in the two farms but significantly more in farm B. The microbiological contamination was also higher in farm B (37% samples were contaminated) than in farm A (12%). The somatic cell count decreased all along the lactation stage and increased with the parity but the trends were not significant due to the high variability of the values. On average, the normal level of somatic cell counts is low compared to cow.