Every year problem cows surface within the herd, with mid-lactation offering a good chance to weed them out.

The majority of farms typically aim for an annual replacement rate of 18-20%, but that figure relies on the success of the breeding season.

Realistically up to 10% of replacements generally come from cows not in calf at the end of the breeding season, while the rest of the replacements are problem cows that are voluntarily culled.

However, giving the weather patterns this year, some farms are seeing poorer submission rates than usual, meaning there could be more empties than anticipated by now, which could have a knock-on impact on voluntary culling.

Despite that, farmers should still be looking at milk recording data and health records to make a start on the end-of-year cull plan.

Problem cows

Some cows are more susceptible to high SCC, mastitis issues, lameness, and other diseases due to their genetic make-up.

These cows will only end up costing the farm money, especially if they are spreading infections such as mastitis through the herd, therefore they need to be identified and moved on.

The first thing we need to do is look at the milk recording data; cows that are persistently over 200,000 cells/ml are an issue.

Considering the national average SCC was sitting high at 161,000 cells/ml through out the second half of June, many farms are obviously dealing with problem cows.

If that is not weeded out the financial impact can be massive, especially in a poor milk price year, as mastitis can cost a farmer more than €60/cow/year.

Even if you are not intending on replacing any cows, you may still be better off with mastitis-prone cows gone.

If they stay in the herd, there is the risk of infection spreading to high achievers.

If your farm is struggling to get average SCC in or around the 100,000 cell/ml mark, it may be worth having a discussion with your vet or milk quality adviser to explore your options.

Locomotion scoring should also be carried out at this time of the year to identify the herd's level of mobility.

When doing this, take note of any cows that were previously lame as they may have chronic issues and may also need to be included in a cull programme.

If there are chronic issues, it may be worth getting rid of those cows now despite the temptation to keep them milking, as they will not add any value to the farm, but instead drive up costs and the risk of spreading infections.

As it stands, 'P' grade cows are making €5.80-€5.90/kg while 'U' grade cows are making up to €6.30/kg.

If cows are being culled, always be mindful of your nitrates banding.