Biological significance of lysozyme-like substances in the milk of cows with the mammary gland in physiological and pathological states.

The lysozyme activity in milk or exudate of 1028 cows, healthy or with various abnormal states of the mammary gland was determined in IU/ml. Normal milk from a healthy gland demonstrated a slight lysozyme activity-to 1,5 IU/ml. In exudate of a dry gland and in precolostral one the lysozymatic activity was distinct-to about 60 IU/ml. In latent infections the level of lysozyme was slightly higher than the normal. In various abnormal states of the mammary gland, there occurred a dependence between the level of the lysozyme activity and the number of nucleated cells and the virulence of bacteria. During treatment, as clinical changes subsided, the lysozyme activity in milk decreased gradually.