Variation in N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity and somatic cell count among various milk fractions.

Six Holstein cows with uninfected quarters were quarter machine milked for four consecutive morning milkings. Foremilk, bucket, and stripping fractions were collected for all milkings. For the first three milkings, an additional milk sample was collected 1 h after milking. After the final milking, oxytocin (20 IU) was injected in the tail vein 20 min after milking, and residual milk was collected. All samples were assayed for NAGase activity and somatic cell concentration. Mean NAGase activity for foremilk, bucket, and stripping samples were 1.65, 1.55, and 1.84 loge nmol/min/ml. Hour after milking and residual samples averaged 2.07 and 1.78. Cell counts (loge thousand cells/ml) for foremilk, bucket, and strippings averaged 2.52, 2.91, and 4.30. Hour after and residual samples averaged 4.56 and 5.53. Results suggest that among uninfected cows, foremilk approximates bucket levels of NAGase and cell count.