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To probe the subclinical mastitis in a herd of cows in Chonnam district, the electrical conductivity(EC) of 825 foremilk samples were measured for 2 years. Normal (n=487) and mastitic(n=110) foremilk samples were classified by the California mastitis test (CMT) and direct somatic cell count(DSCC) and investigated the relations between the changes of the EC value and the calving history, age, days of postpartum, estrus and causative organism isolated. Obtained results are summarized as follows. 1. In the normal foremilk samples, positive correlation, though not significant, was found between the EC value and calving history (r=0.573) and age (r=0.247). 2. In the normal foremilk samples, the EC values were lowered at 30～120 days of postpartum through the whole lactation period and revealed a tendencies to higher values following the day of postpartum increased untill to the drying off (r=0.823), and the days of postpartum was recognized as one of a influencing factor on the EC value(p<0.05). 3. In the mastitic foremilk samples, significant correlation between EC value and resazurin reduction test (RRT) were observed (r=0.904, p<0.05). 4. In the mastitic foremilk samples, EC values were obtained in the E. coli infection as 63.9mM-NaCl, in the Streptococcus spp. infection as 60.5mM-NaCl and in the Staphylococcus spp. infection as 57.0mM-NaCl. 5. At day 0 of estrus, the mean EC values of normal and mastitic foremilk samples were 41.2mM-NaCl and 68.3mM-NaCl respectively and the EC value of day 0 of estrus was higher than that of days before and after estrus.
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