If your somatic cell count (SCC) is beginning to creep up at this time of the year, it should not be ignored, as it is more than likely costing the farm a lot of money.
If your SCC is increasing, it is likely that the number of infected quarters in your herd is beginning to increase as we enter into the latter end of the lactation.
Milk recording should be carried out regularly to see what is happening within your herd. It is the best tool to establish which cows are making you the most profit.
Profit in any business is the most important thing, but milk recording will also indicate which cows have high SCC, which can then indicate subclinical mastitis.
Farmers need to fully prepare themselves for the late lactation, with minimal mastitis infections and maximum milk production.
The financial impact
The financial impact of a slight increase in SCC is something that should not be overlooked or underestimated, as measures must be taken now to make sure it is not costing you.
E.g., at a milk price of 30c/L, if the average bulk tank SCC of a 100-cow herd increases drastically from 150,000 cells/ml to 250,000 cells/ml, it will reduce the overall farm profit by approximately €8,200.
It does not end there if you don’t intervene, as there will be a further reduction in profits of up to €12,200 if the bulk tank SCC increases over 250,000 cells/ml to 350,000 cells/ml, according to Animal Health Ireland (AHI).
With it being such a tough year so far for dairy farmers, considering the tight margins, poor grass growth and high costs of production, farmers cannot afford to be losing out on this type of money.
Minimising SCC
Farmers need to identify the problems caused by infected cows by identifying which cows are causing the problems. This can be done through milk recording.
A milk recording will give an overview of the whole herd, the areas of good mastitis control and the areas that could be improved.
If there is no milk recording taking place on your farm, then a California milk test (CMT) with a paddle should be used to identify infected cows and quarters.
These cows should be identified and marked clearly so that each cluster after being used on these cows is thoroughly disinfected before being put on to the next cow.
During this time of the year, it is recommended to collect milk samples from problem cows and send to the lab for culture and susceptibility testing.
When the results return, treatment is not always advised, as cure rates can range from 20 to 80% depending on various factors, such as the bacteria involved, the duration of infection and the cow’s lactation number.
Get rid of the source of infection straight away, that should be priority – dry off individual quarters by simply stopping milking, but do not use a dry cow tube.
Sometimes, you are better off getting rid of problem cows, as they are not only costing you money, which is quite often the case, but they can also be a source of infection for the healthy cows.
