Genetic parameters for clinical mastitis and somatic cell count for the Nordic dairy cattle populations

Clinical mastitis (CM) is a complex disease, causing substantial losses to the dairy industry. Observed CM is a binary trait and due to its low incidence, genetic evaluation is challenging. On the other hand, somatic cell counts (SCC) are measured on a regular basis and may aid in the genetic evaluation of udder health. Determining the genetic architecture of udder health traits at different risk stages during production is necessary for developing genetic evaluations. The objectives of the curr