Milk recording data show concerning SCC levels

Controlling somatic cell counts (SCC) on farms is vital in preventing mastitis and ensuring that maximum prices are achieved on milk sales.

Dairy farms are heading into the final stages of the lactation, as farmers begin planning for drying off.

Drying off cows plays an important role on farms as it prepares cows for calving and the next lactation.

SCC

Under new regulations, this is the first year that many farmers will be using selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) on their farms.

The latest data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) on SCCs in herds that have completed a milk recording shows that 43% of herds now have a SCC of 201,000 cells/ml.

This will likely be a worrying trend for farmers as they prepare for the drying off of cows, in the first year of the new regulations.

This rise in SCC could be potentially be caused by a number of issues such as cows having access to cubicles, heat stress in cows or stress.

Whatever the cause, it must be investigated and a solution must be found.

Control

Cows with a SCC of over 200,000 cells/ml should be identified and clearly marked.

After a high-SCC cow has been milked, bacteria can remain in the cluster and can potentially be spread to other cows.

Measures should taken to prevent this, e.g. cluster dipping.

Cows can suffer from heat stress in temperatures above 20°, which has been a normal temperature over the last number of weeks.

To try and mitigate against this you need to ensure cows have access to fresh, clean water.

Feed is an issue on most farms currently as grass growth is well below what would be considered ideal.

It is difficult to prevent cows from becoming stressed due to lack of feed, so all that can be done is ensure that there is enough silage for them.

Feed them in an area or areas that allow all cows within the herd to have access at the same time.

If feeding cows where there are cubicles, they must be either blocked off or limed to prevent cows from picking up an infection.