Preliminary study on concanavalin a in whey to evaluate the health status of the mammary gland

Concanavalin A (Con A) which binds to glycoproteins in whey and serum of da iry cows was tested to evaluate the overall condition of the mammary gland; the results were compared with the somatic cell count and anti-trypsin act ivity. Milk samples were collected from healthy cows and from cows with cli nical mastitis. Bacteriological testing was done on all samples. The Con A test results were statistically correlated with anti-trypsin activity in wh ey and somatic cell count which is considered the gold standard to ascertai n the health status of the mammary gland. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococ cus agalactiae and Escherichia coli were isolated from milk samples will a somatic cell count greater than or equal to 2,000,000, The Con A test gave negative results in milk collected from healthy udders, Con A binding was a lso determined in sera since glycoproteins might have migrated to the milli and given similar results on both serum and whey samples.