Effect of dilution ratio on determination of somatic cell count in buffalo milk by direct microscopy

Özet

Öz The objective of this study was to investigate the accurate dilution ratio for determination of somatic cell count (SCC) in buffalo milk by direct microscopic method. Milk samples taken from four Anatolian water buffalo raising farms of two towns of Turkey were diluted with distilled water at 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:6 dilution ratio (RD) and tested by SCC using direct microscopic method. While 1:1 and 1:2 RD were different from 1:4 and 1:6 RD (P< 0.05), SCC groups were not different by towns and farms. Correlation coefficient (r= -0.481) between SCC and RD was estimated to be significant (P< 0.05). The results reveal that water buffalo milk samples should not be diluted higher than 1: 2 RD for obtaining true SCC data.