INFLUENCE OF MASTITIS ON PROPERTIES OF MILK .I. CURD TENSION

The effect of mastitis on the curd tension of milk was investigated using individual quarter samples. An inverse relationship was observed between the Wisconsin Mastitis Test and curd tension. The curd tension of the Wisconsin positive (> 20 mm) samples was approximately 35% lower than that of the corresponding negative (< 10 mm) samples. This effect was more apparent in milks from cows where the curd tension of the control sample was high than those from cows where the normal curd tension was low. Statistically significant (P < 0.01) coefficients were obtained when the Wisconsin Mastitis Test was correlated to curd tension and to the reduction in curd tension associated with increasing leucocyte counts. © 1969, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.