The aim of this study was to investigate changes in milk conditions and antimicrobial components in goats during 8 weeks prepartum and 1 week postpartum. Milk was collected weekly from seven prepartum goats 8 weeks before the due day, immediately, and 1 week after parturition. Milk color scores and the concentration of antimicrobial components (cathelicidin-7 and S100A8) were significantly increased prepartum. There was a significant decrease in milk viscosity, color scores, somatic cell count, and antimicrobial components (lactoferrin and cathelicidin-2, 7) after kidding. However, S100A7 levels did not change throughout the prepartum or postpartum periods. These results indicate that concentrations of cathelicidin-7 and S100A8 differ between prepartum and postpartum periods. Therefore, these microbial components may play different roles in mastitis prevention. The findings of our study provide important information for regulating antimicrobial components in ruminants to prevent bacterial invasion during the peripartum period.
Keywords: antimicrobial component; goat; milk condition; peripartum.
© 2025 The Author(s). Animal Science Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Animal Science.