Problem cows are present in every herd. Although many try to remove them, they continue to appear.
Farms are now mid-way through the lactation for the year and now is a good time to start looking at preparing for drying-off.
It is also a good time to start looking at cows within your herd and determining whether or not they may need an antibiotic at drying-off.
There is also a chance to remove cows from the herd that have had ongoing cell count or mastitis issues.
Problem cows
Milk recording data should be used to determine the cell count of each cow within the herd.
A discussion should then be had with a vet and milk quality advisor to determine at what level of cell count that cows need to be treated.
This will vary from herd to herd, with factors such as cow type, current infection levels and facilities coming into play.
Some cows could be given a treatment at this time of the year to try and reduce the level of infection.
If the infection level in these cows is not reduced you will also have to question whether they should remain in the herd.
Cows that have chronic cases of mastitis or cell count issues really shouldn’t be staying in your herd and you should be looking to move them on.
Cell counts
Cell counts and mastitis infection in cows are very much under the microscope on farms.
With the crutch of blanket dry cow therapy (BDCT) now gone, farmers are having to use selective dry cow therapy (SDCT).
Now, more than ever, dairy farmers need to be aware of somatic cell count (SCC) of each cow within their herd.
Once a base line has been determine for your herd, you need to look at targeting cows that are above this.
If the same cows continue to be above the base line from year to year, you need to look at removing them from the herd.
Cell counts in herd are only going to be improved by having data available and then acting on this data.
You need to be milk recording cows and then using that data to pick out the problems cows and then either treat or remove them from the herd.
Cell counts are going to improve on their own and in all likelihood, they will just get worse if you do not act.