Reduce SCC to boost income by up to €10k
While this is a good improvement on previous years, there is still room for more.
The best 20% averaged 132,000, while the worst 20% averaged 322,000. There is great variation between farms and cows.
Herds which have SCC consistently above 250,000 are living with infection which is costly and difficult to control.
So the first step should be to get the herd average comfortably under 200,000, by following the tried and proven complete Teagasc mastitis control programme.
First calved heifers are the real barometers of your mastitis control programme. It is the first thing that farmers should look at in the report.
Unfortunately, the heifers being recorded in recent years had a yearly average SCC of 190,000, which proves that heifers are being widely infected. The SCC of heifers should be well under 80,000, except for the occasional heifer which might temporarily pick up infection and have a raised SCC, before being cured quickly.
The figures in the ICBF report reveal many herds under 100,000 SCC, with heifers under 70,000, and herds over 350,000 SCC, with most heifers carrying infection and showing high SCC readings.
Ireland still has a problem with some high SCC milk but it is only in recent years that it is being taken seriously by all concerned with the dairy industry.
The cost of high SCC/mastitis in Ireland is estimated to be about €30m per annum.
At any one time, it is estimated that one cow in four is affected by sub clinical mastitis (high SCC).
On average, there are about 40 mastitis cases per 100 cows in Irish dairy herds.
The proper use of a good licensed teat dip/spray, and good hygiene, are priorities, while the milking machine must also be in perfect working order.
All the rules and practices of good mastitis control should be carefully followed throughout the year.
Animal Health Ireland, Teagasc, and co-ops are doing a lot of work on mastitis control.
They have established the “Cell Check/Mastitis” programme — and every farmer should follow it.
This programme is broadly similar to what has been developed by Teagasc over the years, and is proved to be highly effective when properly carried out.
The objective of this programme is to maintain a national average bulk milk SCC of 200,000 or less by 2020. The only barrier to achieving this objective will be to get sufficient farmers to participate in the programme.
A recent study by AHI indicates that net farm income on dairy farms can be increased by €10,000 by reducing SCC from 350,000 to less than 200,000. High SCCs also cause very significant costs at processor level.
The Teagasc milk quality hand book estimates that a 100-cow dairy herd with average SCC 400,000 incurs additional mastitis related costs of €11,700 compared with a similar herd with 100,000 SCC.
Most co-ops are paying a bonus for milk with less than 200,000 SCC, and in some areas, almost 70% of dairy farmers are not availing of this bonus.
Reasons for High SCCs
It is difficult to pin point any particular reason for the continuing problems with SCC. The misguided ending of most Teagasc/Co-op mastitis control programmes in the late nineties was a major contributing factor.
The introduction of bonuses and realistic penalties for SCC milk was delayed far too long.
The seasonal adjustment for SCC prolonged the problem, because it enabled farmers with very high SCCs to continue from year to year without getting rid of the root causes of their high SCCs, at huge cost to themselves and the co-op. The modern emphasis on milking speed often results in a lowering of milking standards.
Recent Programmes
Most co-ops are operating mastitis/SCC control programmes.
About eight years ago, Dairygold Co-op temporarily engaged the full time services of two advisers from Teagasc to tackle SCC problems and other milk quality criteria. This was a great move by Dairygold, which resulted in significant improvements in SCC and other milk quality criteria.
The Dairygold programme has made a significant impact because their suppliers are averaging less than 190,000 SCCs which is far better than our national average.
