Subclinical Mastitis, Milk Quality Indicators and Farmers’ Interest in Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies in Dairy Production Systems

This dataset supports an applied, quantitative and exploratory-descriptive study investigating the relationships between productive and sanitary characteristics, milk quality indicators, and suspected subclinical mastitis in dairy farms, as well as their association with farmers’ interest in adopting Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

The study was conducted in dairy farms located in the Northern Plateau region of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, a region with strong economic relevance in milk production and characterized by heterogeneous production systems.

The sampling strategy was non-probabilistic by convenience, considering accessibility, voluntary participation and availability of laboratory data. A total of 35 farms were initially eligible, and 20 producers were effectively interviewed, corresponding to one structured questionnaire per farm.

The dataset integrates two main data sources: (i) primary data obtained through a structured questionnaire applied during technical visits conducted between October 17 and October 25, 2025, aimed at characterizing productive systems, sanitary management, infrastructure conditions, technological use and farmers’ perceptions regarding IoT adoption; and (ii) secondary laboratory data provided by a regional dairy cooperative, including somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count (TBC), fat and protein content.

Milk samples were collected directly from bulk tanks under standardized procedures, with a frequency of two collections per month per farm. The laboratory dataset covers the period from January 2023 to April 2025. For analytical consistency, a more homogeneous time window between July 2024 and April 2025 was considered.

The dataset enables the integrated analysis of productive, sanitary and technological variables, allowing the investigation of factors associated with subclinical mastitis and the adoption of digital technologies in dairy production systems.