Effect of subclinical mastitis on the yield and cheese-making properties of ewe’s milk

This review covers an update of scientific knowledge about productive and technological consequences of subclinical mastitis in sheep milk. The literature reports individual milk yield losses of 2.6–43.1 %, being modulated by several factors as infection severity, production level, causal agents, and unilateral or bilateral IMI (1 or 2 infected glands, respectively). A compensatory increase of milk production from the uninfected gland when only one half was infected has been quantified in 6.6 %, compared with healthy halves of control sheep. This compensatory adaptation highlights the risk of underestimating subclinical mastitis in sheep. The mammary gland response is quick and milk yield losses in absolute terms remained constant within the following weeks, both when infection appear during lactation and when it is present from lambing.With respect to the changes on main components in milk due to subclinical mastitis it has been clearly established a decrease in the concentration of lactose and an increase of that of whey proteins. The role played by lactose as an osmotic regulator results in a more accentuated decrease of its concentration in milk. This is why lactose is considered at present as a reliable potential indicator of subclinical mastitis. Whey proteins increase as a result of the increase of the blood-milk barrier permeability and the increased proteolysis of caseins. However, the content in milk of fat and casein are modified depending on the magnitude of milk yield reduction, being affected by a concentration or dilution effect. In any case, the ratio casein to protein (parameter independent of the milk volume) decreases as a result of infection.The impairment of physical and chemical characteristics due to decreased udder health status is the responsible of the negative effect of increased SCC on the coagulation properties of milk, the curd yield and the quality of cheese. Low ratio of casein to protein in high bulk tank SCC milk enhances the extension of the rennet coagulation time (RCT) and curd firming time (k20) because there are more serum proteins and the stability of casein micelles are reduced as a result of hydrolysis. Those changes in turn led to poor syneresis, lower cheese yield, increased moisture content and lower fat and protein content in cheese.Finally, there is a favourable relationship between lactose and milk technological properties because the decrease of this component in case of mastitis is associated with an increase of milk pH. Thus, the three parameters, SCC, pH, and lactose affect, contemporarily and independently, milk quality and coagulation properties, and this is why have been highlighted as potential indicators traits for improving cheese-making ability of sheep milk.