SUMMARY In 3 cows, mean total somatic cell counts in mammary gland secretions were > 1 × 106/ml from 25 days before parturition until parturition. Cell population decreased rapidly after parturition, and 10 days after parturition, all counts in foremilk were < 1 × 105/ml. Macrophages and lymphocytes in equal numbers were present in secretions before parturition. Starting approximately 5 days before parturition, lymphocytes decreased so that they were absent at parturition. Nearly all cells in secretions after parturition were macrophages. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils were in low numbers or absent from all secretions.
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McDonald et al. (1981) studied this question.