ORIGINAL_ARTICLE The health condition of the mammary gland is highly crucial for obtaining good quality colostrum. The lactoferrin (LF), as an iron-binding protein, plays a key role in the defense mechanisms of the mammary gland due to its’ bacteriostatic properties. The study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the LF concentration in the bovine colostrum milk during the postpartum period, and the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) on the LF concentration and milk composition. The cows were randomly selected at a dairy farm in Pelagonia region. Colostrum samples from 12 cows were collected. Samples were taken at different time intervals after parturition, 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h after parturition. Cows in their second parity were found to have higher levels of LF compared to cows in the third and higher parity (p>0.05). Time had a significant effect on the LF concentration (p < 0.01), with the highest value recorded 1 h after parturition remaining stable for one hour. LF concentration and SCC in the colostrum showed a weak positive correlation (r=0.40; p < 0.01). The highest LF concentration was noticed when SCC was above 800,000 cells/mL. In conclusion, the colostrum LF concentration was significantly affected by the interactions of the two factors, i.e., time after parturition and SCC (p < 0.05). Milk composition was affected by elevated SCC. Parity showed no association with LF. The SCC can be used as a reliable means of assessing colostrum quality. https://macvetrev.mk/Files/Article/2022/10.2478/macvetrev-2022-0026/macvetrev-2022-0026.pdf 2022-10-15 177 185 10.2478/macvetrev-2022-0026 lactoferrin somatic cell counts colostrum postpartum cow milk Biljana Trajkovska biljana.trajkovska@uklo.edu.mk false 1 Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences, “St. Kliment Ohridski” University, 7000 Bitola, North Macedonia LEAD_AUTHOR Ljupche Kochoski false 2 Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences, “St. Kliment Ohridski” University, 7000 Bitola, North Macedonia AUTHOR Gordana Dimitrovska false 3 Faculty of Biotechnical Sciences, “St. Kliment Ohridski” University, 7000 Bitola, North Macedonia AUTHOR Zehra Hajrulai-Musliu false 4 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia AUTHOR Risto Uzunov false 5 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia AUTHOR Vladimir Petkov false 6 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia AUTHOR Prarabdh C. Badgujar false 7 Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Haryana, India AUTHOR Jaster, E.H. (2005). Evaluation of quality, quantity, and timing of colostrum feeding on immunoglobulin G1 absorption in Jersey calves. J Dairy Sci. 88(1): 296-302. 1 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(05)72687-4 Blum, J.W., Hammon, H. (2000). Colostrum effects on the gastrointestinal tract, and on nutritional, endocrine and metabolic parameters in neonatal calves. Livest Prod Sci. 66(2): 151-159. 2 10.1016/S0301-6226(00)00222-0 Lorenz, I. (2021). Calf health from birth to weaningan update. Ir Vet J. 74, 5. 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