Cow & Buffalo (Livestock) Tests Cow Buffalo

Mastitis Test (CMT) & Somatic Cell Count

The mastitis test checks fresh milk from each udder quarter with the CMT and a somatic cell count. A high result may indicate udder infection or inflammation, even when the milk looks normal.

Sample: Fresh milk, quarter-wise
Quantity: As advised
Report: Confirmed when you book
Collection: Free in Bhopal

What this test checks

CMT score for each udder quarter (how thick the milk mix turns)
Somatic cell count, the number of cells in the milk
Which quarter or quarters of the udder are affected
Signs of hidden (subclinical) mastitis in milk that looks normal

Benefits of this test

Can help find hidden mastitis before the milk looks abnormal.
Tests each quarter on its own, so one affected quarter is not missed.
Gives your vet facts to decide the next step instead of guessing.
Can be repeated to follow udder health over time.
Can help protect milk yield and milk quality.

Often discussed at these ages:Adult Cow Adult Buffalo

When your vet may advise it

The milk has clots or flakes, or looks watery.
One quarter of the udder is hot, hard, swollen or painful.
Milk yield has dropped and the feed has not changed.
A cow or buffalo gets mastitis again and again.
You want a routine udder check of the herd, or before an animal is dried off.

About this test

Mastitis is an infection of the udder that makes it inflamed, which means swollen and irritated inside. It lowers milk yield and can spoil milk quality. Many cows and buffaloes have mastitis with no sign you can see. This is called subclinical (hidden) mastitis. The milk looks normal, but the udder is inflamed.

This test has two parts. In the CMT (California Mastitis Test), a test liquid is mixed with a little milk from each quarter. The mix turns thick and gel-like when the milk has many cells. The somatic cell count then counts the cells in the milk. Somatic cells are mostly white blood cells that move into the udder to fight germs.

The milk is tested quarter by quarter, so the result can show which part of the udder is affected. The test does not name the germ. Your veterinarian reads the result with the animal's signs and decides the next step.

How to prepare

Wash and dry the teats, throw away the first few streams, then collect fresh milk from each quarter into its own clean, closed tube (sterile if possible), label it and keep it cool. Free sample collection is available anywhere in Bhopal. From other districts of Madhya Pradesh, send the milk the same day by courier or bus parcel, or through your local vet or clinic, after calling or WhatsApp +91 88175 01118.

Reading the result

A high CMT score or cell count may indicate mastitis in that quarter, but it is not a diagnosis by itself. Your veterinarian reads it with the animal's signs, milking history and stage of milking, and decides what to do next.

Questions about Mastitis CMT

What is the CMT test for mastitis?

The California Mastitis Test (CMT) is a quick milk test that shows whether an udder quarter has more cells than normal, which may indicate mastitis. A few drops of milk are mixed with a test liquid. The thicker the mix turns, the more cells are present.

Can the test find mastitis before the milk looks abnormal?

Yes, it can help find subclinical mastitis, which is udder infection with no clots, swelling or change in the milk. The animal looks healthy, but milk yield and quality may still fall. Testing each quarter can show a problem early so your vet can decide what to do.

What is a somatic cell count?

A somatic cell count is the number of cells in a measured amount of milk. Most of them are white blood cells that move into the udder when it is inflamed or infected. A rising count may indicate udder trouble, even when the milk looks normal.

Does the test tell which germ is causing mastitis?

No. The CMT and the cell count show that the udder may be inflamed, but they do not name the germ. If your vet wants to know the germ, they may advise other tests, such as a culture. Your vet decides on any treatment.

Before you book this test

Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.

Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.

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