New Somatic Cell Count Standards

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by Dr. Richard Ernsberger

 

New European Union standards will very soon force their way into our milk supply. A Bulk Tank Somatic Cell Count (BTSCC) of 400,000 cells/mL is being demanded of US dairy farms, and we have no choice but to comply. So what can we do to prepare ourselves for this fast approaching change? Ultimately, we need to re-evaluate all the factors that contribute to a high SCC and start from the ground up. Here are five areas you should not fall short on when it comes to cutting SCC.

 

Teat ends are the gateway for mastitis-causing pathogens to enter the udder so an adequate udder preparation procedure is critical. This procedure needs to be followed by all farm staff for every animal being milked so no cow is left more susceptible than the next.

Key procedures:

While udder preparation gets the dirt off once it’s on, you should also be aware of the environment your cows are in and how that dirt actually gets onto the cow. Is she laying in a dirty alley or stall? When was the last time she got dry, clean bedding? Is the pasture full of mud? Many factors play into the environment of a cow, but it’s your job to make that environment as clean and dry as possible. From adding a little extra bedding to fencing off that muddy spot in the pasture the cows always lay in, you control their environment and thus, the pathogens that can access their teat ends.

 

The ultimate goal once a cow is infected is to get a cure and to never see the pathogen or bacteria that caused the infection in that cow ever again. But, that’s not realistic. Cows will flare up again, and you should always have records to look at, especially when it comes down to culling decisions for a repeat offender. According to NMC, each cow should have a record with identification, date detected, days in milk, quarter(s) affected, number and type of treatments, outcome of treatments, and the pathogen if a sample was cultured.

 

Treat the treatable and cull the untreatable. Some cows will recover and be cured, but some will remain chronic. Save a sample from every clinical case before treatment is started. In case the treatment is ineffective, you’ll still be able to culture an untreated sample. While other factors will be evaluated before you cull a high SCC cow, your main goal is to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens and reduce the SCC entering your bulk tank. And maybe you have other reasons for keeping the cow with the high SCC, but remember, your milk company doesn’t care about those reasons when it comes to meeting European Union standards.

 

Dry and fresh cows are often most susceptible to new intramammary infections and need to be monitored carefully. Always make sure your cows are being fed properly and have adequate bunk space. Make sure they have a clean, dry environment as described above. And, lastly, be sure to dry treat every quarter of every cow.

In 2009, during all months monitored, 89% of the milk would have met a goal of less than 400,000 BTSCC, which is the current European Union SCC limit; but only 50% of the producers shipped milk with BTSCCs less than 400,000.